i ^ HMMMllliiiMli lii ^ Srom i^t £i6rar)? of | (profeeBor TiJiffiam ^cnxT^ (green ^ QBequeaf^eb 615 ^im fo f^ £i6rari? of Qprtnceton C^eofogtcaf ^eminarg BX 8930 .G73x c.2 1 Green, Ashbel, 1762-1848. 1 A historical sketch or .; compendious view of ^ 4 I I A HISTORICAL SKETCH OR COMPENDIOUS VIEW OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONS THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OP THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. By ASHBEL green, D.D. f PHILADELPHIA: WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, ;OUTH EAST CORNER OF SEVENH AND GEORGE STREETS. 1838. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by Wm. S. Martien, in the office of the Clerk of the District Court, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. ADVERTISEMENT. The Board of Foreiga Missions of the Presbyte- rian church, at their meeting in Baltimore, in Octo- ber and November 1837, passed the following reso- lution : viz. " Resolved, That the Rev. Dr. Green be request- ed to draw up a history of the Foreign Missionary operations of the Presbyterian church in the United States, to be published by the Executive Committee, with the proceedings of this Board.^' When the duty assigned by the foregoing resolu- tion came to be performed, it was found on exami- nation, that Domestic and Foreign Missions in the Presbyterian church, had not only been conducted by the same agencies, but that, to some extent, they had been mingled together. A compendious view of both, was therefore determined on, as stated in the introduction to the Sketch. Institutions established or conducted mainly by associations or individuals, not immediately connec- ted with the Presbyterian church, when mentioned at all, have received but a cursory and summary notice. Their operations have not been traced, al- though carried on in concert with members of the Presbyterian denomination. Institutions characte- ristically Presbyterian have been regarded as the only proper subjects of any thing like historical de- tail. Nor has it been considered as consistent with the plan adopted, to mention such of these as were 4 ADVERTISEMENT. known to have had no other than a very brief exist- ence, or a very limited action. If any societies hav- ing a just claim to be noticed in this compendious view, have been altogether omitted, the writer can only say, that they have escaped inquiries, made as extensively and diligently as his time and means of information w^ould permit. It is hoped that the readers of this Sketch will keep in mind that its nature forbade much enlarge- ment. It had been easier for the author to compose a much larger work, than to condense his materials, after he had collected them, into the necessary com- pass. Probably some will think that equal justice has not been done to the numerous institutions that have been brought under review. This will not be fairly attributed to partiality in the writer — it is owing solely to the fact, that after much research he could obtain but scanty materials for some articles, while for others his materials were abundant, and near at hand. He is sensible of the defects of his work, but with all its imperfections he hopes it may be useful. As the following Sketch could not be submitted to the Board of Missions, and as the larger part of it has not been seen even by the Executive Commit- tee, it is to be distinctl}^ understood, that the writer alone is responsible for the statements it contains. CONTENTS, Paffe Introduction - - - - - 13 Domestic Missions - - - - 14 Presbyterian church always a missionary church 15 Virginia and the Carolinas early regarded as missionary ground - - - - 16 Collections annually taken up in the Churches, by order of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia in 1766, to aid in sending the Gospel to destitute places - - - 16 The General Assembly constituted 1788, and met the first time at Philadelphia, May, 1789 17 Vigorous measures adopted by the General Assembly to raise funds for the missionary cause, 1800 18 Standing Committee of Missions appointed in 1802 19 Circular addressed to every Protestant Mis- sionary Society known in Europe - 20 Missionary operations among the African race in the Southern section of our country 20 1^ b CONTENTS. Services performed by the lamented John H. Rice, D. D. . - . - . Synod of Virginia instrumental in forming Presbyterian churches in Kentucky Synod of Pittsburgh efficiently engaged in sus- taining Foreign and Domestic Missions Monthly periodical issued by the Standing Committee of the General Assembly Western Foreign Missionary Society of New Jersey, formed in 1800. Its orga- nization independent of the General As- sembly ------ Board of Missions of the General Assem- bly, constituted in 1816 Formation of Missionary Societies auxiliary to the General Assembly's Board recom- mended ------ Duties of Secretary and General Agent of the Board of Missions performed by a few of the members, amidst pastoral and other en- gagements - . - - _ Young Men's Missionary Society of New York, formed 1815 - - - - New York Evangelical Missionary Soci- ety, instituted about 1816 United Domestic Missionary Society, form- ed by the union of the Young Men's Mis- sionary Society and the New York Evan- gelical Missionary Society Meeting of delegates from different states of New-England held at Boston, in 1826, to Page CONTENTS. 7 Page form a General Society for Domestic Mis- sions ------ 26 American Home Missionary Society, insti- tuted May 1826 _ _ _ . 27 Refusal of the American Home Missionary Society to co-operate with the General As- sembly's Board of Missions - - 28 Resolution of the General Assembly of 1837, recommending the discontinuance of the operations of the American Home Mission- ary Society and the American Education Society within the Presbyterian church 29 The organization of a Philadelphia Missiona- ry and other Presbyterian Missionary So- cieties in the city and liberties of Philadel- phia 31 Pennsylvania Missionary Society, formed 1826 31 Re-organization op the Board or Missions OF the General Assembly in 1828 34 FOREIGN OR HEATHEN MISSIONS 37 Indian Mission on Long Island, the first hea- then mission instituted in the Presbyterian church ------ 38 Second mission under Rev. David Brainerd 39 Mission to Muskingum river, state of Ohio. 45 New York Missionary Society organized 1796 45 Transfer of all their missions to the United Foreign Missionary Society - - 47 8 CONTENTS. Page Northern Missionary Society organized 1797 47 Mission to the Cherokee Indians - - 49 Rev. Gideon Blackburn engaged as a mission- ary -------49 Efforts to establish schools among the Chero- kees -.--.- 49 Letter from Rev. G. Blackburn on the pro- gress of civilization among the Indians (note) 51 Mission among the Wyandot Indians - 52 Mission at Cornplanter's Town - - 53 Mission at Lewistown, Ohio - - 55 United Foreign Missionary Society insti- tuted ISIS 55 Their operations countenanced and patronized by the general government - - 57 The Two Osage Missions - - - 59 The want of success in this mission induces its final abandonment - - - 61 The Cataraugus Mission - - - 62 Encouraging circumstances connected with it 63 The Mackinaw Mission - - - 64 The Haytien Mission - - - - 65 The Tuscarora Mission ~ - - - 66 The Seneca Mission - - - - 6S Legislature of New York reject a petition praying for the residence of ministers of the Gospel on Indian lands - - 69 The Fort Gratiot Mission - - - 70 CONTENTS. 9 Page The Maumee Mission - - - - 70 Proceedings of the Synod of Pittsburgh in re- lation thereto - - - - - 71 Report on the state of the Maumee school 73 Remarks on the transfer of the missions of the United Foreign Missionary Society to the American Board - - - - 75 Reasons adduced in favour of this union - 77 Remarks on the preceding reasons - - 79 Action of the general Assembly and Synod of the Reformed Dutch church, on the subject of the amalgamation - - - - 82 Report and resolution of the General Assem- bly - - 84 Mission among the Chickasaw Indians, the only one in the Presbyterian church, not transferred to the American Board - 87 Chickasaw Mission under the supervision of the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia 87 Foreign and Domestic Missions authorized by the General Assembly - - - 88 Mission to Buenos Ayres - - - 89 Resolution of the General Assembly's Board of Missions rendering assistance to this mis- sion - - - - - - 92 Cause of failure ----- 93 Concluding remarks on the different senti- ments existing in the Presbyterian church on the most eligible method of prosecuting Foreign Missions - - - - 94 10 CONTENTS. Page Western Foreign Missionary Sociey form- ed IN November 1831 - - - 102 Circular letter issued by this Society - 102 Formation of the Society - - - 107 Extracts from the Life of the Rev. Joseph W. Barr, one of its missionaries - - 109 Missions and missionaries under the care of the Western Foreign Missionary Society 110 Mission TO Western Africa - - - 111 Ordination of Missionaries - - - 112 Death of the Rev. Joseph W. Barr, one of the missionaries destined for Africa - - 113 Embarkation of Missionaries - - - 115 Their arrival at Monrovia - - - 116 Death of Mr. Cloud and Mr. and Mrs. Laird 117 The state of the African Mission - - 121 Mission to Northern India - - . 123 Embarkation and arrival of the missionaries 124 Death of Mrs. Lowrie - - - - 125 Death of Mr. Reed - - . _ 129 Reinforcement of the Mission by the arrival of several Missionaries - - - 138 Mr. Lowrie has permission to return to the United States to recruit his health - 140 Interesting account of missionary stations 142 Details of the four missionary stations in Nor- thern India - - - - - 146 Mission to the Western Indians - - 148 The Iowa Mission 153 Details of the fVea and loiva stations - 155 Mission to Smyrna - . - - 155 CONTENTS. 11 Page Mission to China ----- 157 Interesting statement relative to the progress of casting types of the Chinese characters 159 Projected or Prospective Missions - 163 Indian Tribes - - - - - 164 Mission to Calcutta - - - - I66 The Foreign Missionary Chronicle - 167 Transfer or the Western Foreign Mis- sionary Society - - - - 170 Proceedings of the General Assembly of 1835, in relation to the transfer - - - 170 Report of a Committee to the General Assem- bly of 1836 173 Terms of agreement between the Committee of the General Assembly and the Synod of Pittsburgh 174 Report of a Committee appointed by the Ge- neral Assembly of 1836, to review the whole case, and present it to the conside- ration of the Assembly - - - 177 Proceedings of the Assembly on the report, and final rejection thereof - - - 182 Transactions in General Assembly of 1837 185 Report of the Committee on the overture from the Presbytery of Salem, on the subject of foreign missions, and of " The Board of Fo- reign Missions of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America" - 185 Directors for the Board of Foreign Missions appointed 188 First meeting of the Board held October 1837 189 12 CONTENTS. Page Concluding Remarks - - - - 191 1. The importance of sustaining our mission- ary operations on right principles, and from right motives - - - - - 193 2. Before the world shall be converted to God, there must be a practical conviction that it is the power of God alone, working on the minds of the heathen, that can ever change them. - - - - - 195 3. Dependance on God for the success of mis- sions ought not to diminish, but increase, the means and exertions that are used to produce this effect - - - - 198 4. Faithful missionaries ought to be " esteem- ed very highly in love for their work's sake," and every reasonable provision made for their support in foreign lands - 202 5. We ought not to calculate that great and speedy success will follow our missionary enterprises 203 6. Strict economy ought to be observed in the use of funds in managing the mission- ary concerns at home - _ - 204 Appendix ------ 207 Proceedings of the Western Foreign Mission- ary Society, at its last Meeting, May 1837 207 A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. INTRODUCTION / The propagation of the Gospel in North America possessed, essentially, the character of a Mission- ary enterprise. Its propagators when they fled from persecution in the land of their fathers, had it in view, not only to be able to worship God according to the dictates of their consciences, free from moles- tation, but to transmit the gospel in its purity to their descendants, and to other emigrants, in all suc- ceeding generations ; and they also hoped to impart its blessings to the Pagan tribes, who inhabited the wilderness in which they sought an abode. As in- troductory, therefore, to a brief " History of the Foreign Missionary operations of the Presbyterian church in the United States," it is proposed to take a rapid survey of the Missions of this Church among the descendants of Europeans ; and to follow it by a narrative, m_ore in detail, of missionary operations, 2 14 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. among the aborigines of our own country, and among the heathen of foreign lands. It is believed that the present will not be considered as an unfit occasion for the survey contemplated ; nor prove un- welcome to those who take an interest in the con- cerns of the Presbyterian church, many of whom are almost wholly unacquainted with its missionary history. DOMESTIC MISSIONS. The Presbytery of Philadelphia was the first that existed on the American continent, and was formed, as nearly as can be ascertained, in the year 1704. Its clerical members were emigrants from Scotland and Ireland, with one individual from New England. They were, with a single exception, al- most wholly destitute of property ; and the people to whom they ministered, being like themselves in poverty, and struggling for subsistence in a wilder- ness land, could contri])ute but a pittance to the sup- ])ort of their pastors. In these circumstances, little more could be done for spreading the gospel, than to proclaim its truths and administer its ordinances, among the inhabitants in the vicinity of the preachers. lUit in this field of operation, the labours of the fathers of the Presbyte- rian churcli were most excm])lary. It may be ques- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 15 tioned whether any missionaries, in more recent timeSj have made greater exertions to carry the gos- pel to the destitute, or have endured more hardships in doing it, than were exhibited by these venerable and devoted men. They not only preached to the people to whom they sustained the pastoral relation, but extended, as far as possible, their excursions of benevolence into the adjacent regions ; and this with- out any pecuniary compensation or facilities of tra- velling. The affecting cries of the destitute came to them at every meeting of their Presbytery, as well as at their individual abodes ; and the efforts which they made to relieve the spiritual wants of the sup- pliants, were neither few nor feeble. In process of time, when the Presbytery was en- larged into a Synod, and a small fund was obtained to aid the operations, and partially to relieve the pressing necessities of its members, missionary ser- vices were extended to places more remote. It was in this way, that Presbyterian churches were plant- ed, not only in the British colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland, but also in Virginia, and in North and South Carolina. The Presbyterian church has, in fact, been always a Missionary Church; and to her being such, is to be attributed, under the blessing of God, her rapid increase and her present wide ex- tension. In a period of little more than a hundred and thirty years, this Church, embracing at first but six or seven ministers of the gospel, has located congregations, with their pastors, through a region extending from Canada, on the North, to Florida, in 16 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the South, and from the Atlantic, on the East, to parts beyond the Mississippi, in the West ; and now consists of nineteen Synods, one hundred and six Presbyteries, and nearly two thousand ordained ministers; between two and three hundred licen- tiates ; more than two hundred and forty candidates for the gospel ministry ; and not less than two thou- sand churches. — Of the detail of her Domestic Missions, only the most cursory view can now be taken. It has already been stated, that Virginia and the Carolinas were early regarded as missionary ground; and we now add, that they continued to be thus re- garded, till the commencement of the revolutionary war of our country. Their necessities formed a marked subject of attention, and measures were adopted for their relief, at almost every meeting of the Synod, before the unhappy rent which divided it, in 1741. After that occurrence, till the re-union of the Synods, in 1758, each of the conflicting bodies made vigorous exertions, to supply the spiritual v/ants of the Southern portion of the then British colonies. The result was, that not only many churches were organized, but several Presbyteries wxre formed, in that section of our country. In the year 1766, the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, then the supreme judicatory of the Church, directed that a su])scription should be taken up, or a collection made, in all their congregations, vacant as well as supplied, for sending the gospel to destitute places ; and, in the following year, they de- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 17 termined that such a collection should be annually made ; and they adopted other suitable measures to carry into effect their benevolent design. During the war of Independence, the public mind was so engrossed with the state of the country, that all religious institutions languished, and some were temporarily suspended. In the South, the hostile armies overran, and for a time had the occupancy of a part of the region, to which missions had previ- ously been sent ; and missionary operations, on the whole frontier of the United States, were precluded, by the existence or the fear of Indian hostilities. Such, nevertheless, was the strength of the missiona- ry spirit in the Presbyterian church, that a number of missionaries were sent forth during this war; and the subject continued to command the serious atten- tion of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, as long as it remained the highest judicatory of the Presbyterian church. The General Assembly, which was constituted by that Synod in 1788, met, for the first time, in Philadelphia, in May 1789. During the sessions of this first year, the missionary cause claimed a particular attention. The four Sy- nods, then existing under the Assembly, were di- rected to provide and recommend, each, two mis- sionaries to the next Assembly ; and that funds might be prepared to meet the expense expected to be incurred, it was enjoined on all the Presbyteries, to take measures for raising collections, in all the congregations within their bounds. It is believed that at this time (1789) there was 2* 18 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS not, in the United States, another religious denomi- nation beside the Presbyterian, that prosecuted any domestic missionary enterprise ; except that then, as since, the Methodists sent forth their circuit riders, in various directions. A few years subsequently, the Congregationalists of Connecticut sent missiona- ries among the emigrants from that State, who had located themselves within the bounds of the states of New York and Pennsylvania ; and, in ^Massachusetts also, at a period somewhat later, missionary opera- tions were set on foot. But for some time, with the exception stated, the Presbyterian Church stood alone, at least as to any regular and systematic ef- forts, in supplying the destitute portions of our coun- try with the preaching of the gospel. For thirteen years in succession, the General Assembly, at every annual meeting, either by a committee appointed for the purpose, or by measures adopted on motion in the House, took the missionary concern into special consideration, heard the reports of those appointed in a preceding year, and made new appointments, as extensively as missionaries and the means of their support could be obtained. In 1800, measures of increased vigour and effi- ciency were adopted, to raise funds for the support of the missionary cause. Agents were commis- sioned and sent out into different parts of the coun- try, to solicit donations in aid of the Assembly's Missions; and the result was, the formation of a fund of upwards of twenty two thousand dollars, conditioned by the donors, that the capital should PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 19 remain unbroken, and the annual interest only be expended. At this period, the Rev. Jedediah Chap- man was appointed a stated missionary for four years, in the north western part of the state of New York ; to direct and assist other missionaries, and to spend six months of each year in personal labours, in this, at that time, the most favoured mis- sionary field. He subsequently received mission- ary appointments, till the time of his death in 1813. The same year (1800) the Rev. James Hall was ap- pointed a missionary to Natchez, for several months ; and was accompanied by the Rev. James Bowman and William Montgomery, appointed by the Synod of the Carolinas. This mission was performed in a very able and satisfactory manner. In 1802, an important alteration took place in the manner of conducting the Missionary business. It had now become so extensive, that the Assembly found it would be impossible, amidst the numerous concerns claiming their attention, to devote to it, during the short term of their annual sessions, that time and regard which its successful and extended prosecution demanded. To diminish their business, and to ensure a proper management of all their mis- sionary affairs, they appointed a Standing Commit- tee OF Missions, to act through the year; pre- scribed to them the duties to be performed, and clothed them with such powers as were then deemed sufficient. Immediately on the rising of the Assem- bly, the Committee organized themselves, and en- tered with alacrity and zeal on the discharge of the 20 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. interesting duties assi2;ned them. A circular letter was addressed to Presbyteries, urging their assist- ance in the missionary enterprise; a system of in- structions was drawn up and printed, for directing the conduct of the missionaries employed ; and a cir- cular letter was prepared and sent by the Committee, to every Protestant Missionary Society known to exist in Europe — containing information in regard to missionary operations in our country at large, and more particularly in our own Church. A series of questions on missionary concerns was also contained in the letter, and answers were solicited, from which it was hoped that much useful information might be derived, to aid the Committee in the management of their important business. Due attention was paid to this letter, by the Societies to which it was ad- dressed, and numerous and friendly replies were re- ceived. Under the conduct of the Committee, the Missionary operations became more and more exten- sive; and the satisfaction was enjoyed of beholding them constantly exerting a most benign influence on the cause of religion. In one year of its existence, the Committee recommended, and the Assembly sanctioned, fifty one missionary appointments. It ought to be particularly noted, that a very zea- lous effort was made by the Standing Committee, to establish regular missionary operations among the unhappy African race, in the Southern section of our country. With this view, they commissioned the Rev. John Chavis, a man of African descent, who had previously been employed as a missionary PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 21 among the blacks, by the Synod of Virginia. From the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Committee, he received, for six years in succes- sion, missionary appointments to the people of his colour, in Virginia and North Carolina. Nor did he labour altogether in vain. But the most important and efficient services, in this field of. benevolent ac- tion, were performed by the late eminent and la- mented John H. Rice, D. D. For seven years, he cheerfully accepted a mission to the black population of Virginia, and laboured among them with the most exemplary fidelity and happy success. The fruits of his mission are said to be yet visible, and to be re- membered with gratitude, by a number of those to whom his labours were blessed. But beside the missionaries commissioned by the Assembly, a considerable number were annually sent forth by the Synods, who managed this interesting concern separately from the Assembly. The Sy- nods of the Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky, and Pittsburgh, were distinguished for their zeal and effi- ciency in the missionary cause. By the missionary operations of the Synod of Virginia, some of the first Presbyterian churches in Kentucky were formed, and afterwards supplied with the gospel ordinances. But of all the Synods, that of Pittsburgh, was the longest and most extensively and efficiently engaged in sustaining missions, both domestic and foreign. It ought not to be omitted, that among the other la- bours of the Standing Committee of Missions, was the distribution of a large number of religious books and 22 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tracts, and the editing and publishing of a monthly Miscellany of fifty octavo pages. In a compendious view of Missions in the Presby- terian church, some notice is due to " The Western Missionary Society of New Jersey." It was formed about the year 1800. Its organization indeed, was entirely independent of the General Assembly. But it was composed of members belonging to the same church, contributed liberally to the funds of the As- sembly, pursued the same objects, and was, for a length of time, active and spirited in the execution of its own missionary plans. Its operations ceased, prin- cipally for the want of funds, about four years since. In 1816, the Standing Committee of Missions, on their own recommendation, was succeeded by a Board, which, by an order of the Assembly, was styled " The Board of Missions acting under the au- thority of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States." The powers of the Committee had not extended beyond the nomination of missionaries to the Assembly, pointing out their routes of travel or fields of labour, and specifying the amount of salary due to each. A final action on all these points was among the powers now granted to this Board ; whose members were not confined to Philadelphia and its vicinity, but were taken, in part, from each of the Synods composing the Assembly — to which body an annual report of all the transac- tions of the preceding year was required to be made. — The centre of action was still in Philadel- phia. The Assembly " authorized and directed the PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 23 Board, to take measures for establishing throughout the churches, Auxiliary Missionary Societies, and recommended to their people the establishment of such societies, to aid the funds and extend the opera- tions of the Board/' In carrying this order of the Assembly into effect, the Board recommended the formation of Auxiliary Societies in every Presby- tery, and the formation of Missionary Associations, as far as practicable, in all the congregations of each Presbytery ; and, to a considerable extent, this re- commendation was complied with. For a time, the operations of this Board were prosecuted with much vigour, and an encouraging success. And although in no year did the Board commission as many mis- sionaries as had been recommended to the Assem- bly, in some years of the Standing Committee, to which it succeeded, yet for a series of j^ears its effi- ciency was great, in conveying widely the blessings of the gospel to the destitute. It deserves especial notice, that in almost every part of our country, nu- merous infant churches were organized by the tra- velling missionaries of this Board, which could not otherwise have been formed ; and which afterwards furnished the opportunity, so happily embraced by other institutions, to afford assistance, in the support of their pastors or stated supplies. But for a consi- derable period before its re-organization, the Board languished greatly ; and all its operations were crip- pled and circumscribed by the want of funds. Other institutions came in conflict with applications for supplies, from the sources whence they had previ- 24 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ously been derived. In a word, it became evident, that if some effective measures were not speedily taken to re-animate the Board, it would soon either cease to exist, or exist in nothing but in name. Neither this Board, nor the Standing Committee which preceded it, had ever employed a Corres- ponding Secretary and General Agent, nor appointed an Executive Committee. All their duties were discharged by a few of their members, the clerical part of whom were constantly occupied, with nume- rous pastoral engagements. The Young Men's Missionary Society of New York, was formed in the city of New York, as near- ly as the writer has been able to ascertain, in the year 1815 ; and was laudably active for a number of years, in supplying the destitute portions of that State, and to some extent, the contiguous parts of the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with the preaching of the gospel. Tlic last report which they made, while they existed as a distinct organization, states that in the preceding year they had employed nine missionaries, whose labours had not only been highly acceptable, but in some instanced greatly blessed. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 25 NEW YORK EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The New York Evangelical Missionary Society, appears to have been instituted about a year (1816) subsequently to the one last mentioned. In the con- clusion of their fifth and last annual report, in De- cember 1821, they say ^^In summing up the opera- tions of the Board, it appears that they had in their employment the present year ten missionaries — one in the state of Missouri, six in the middle and loes- tern counties of New York, one on Long Island, and two in the city of New York. To support these operations, considerable funds were required, and much has been generously bestowed.'^ The co- loured people of New York city, received a parti- cular attention from this Society, and a coloured mis- sionary whom they employed, appears to have been blessed in his ministrations. UNITED DOMESTIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The two Societies last mentioned, as appears by what follows, were merged in " The United Do- mestic Missionary Society. ^^ This Society, says an authentic document, "was organized on the 9th of May, 1822, by a Convention of delegates from Do- mestic Missionary Associations in various parts of the state of New York. Soon after its organization two respectable Domestic Missionary Societies in this city, (New York,) having twenty-eight missionaries under their care, transferred their concerns to this new institution." It was only for about four years, that 3 26 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. this institution acted under the name or title which it assumed at its origin. But during this period, its operations were carried on with energy and success. Many auxiUary societies were established ; and the number of missionaries which it employed, increased from seventy-five in the first year, to one hundred and twenty-one, in the year before it changed its name. The success of its missionaries, moreover, was represented as most decisive and encouraging. The state of New York, in which the Society origi- nated, shared largely, but not exclusively, in the la- bours of its missionaries. The destitution of gospel ordinances in the newly formed States of the west, attracted the particular attention of the Society ; but no itinerating missionaries were employed. On the contrary, they were denounced as a nuisance to the Church ; and the building up of feeble churches, so as to establish a settled ministry in them, was avow- edly the exclusive plan of this Society. A meeting of delegates from the different states of New England, was held at Boston, in an early part of the year 1826, at which the formation of a Gene- ral Society for Domestic Missions was recommended, the seat of which should be at New York. Apprised of this, the Executive Committee of the United Do- mestic Missionary Society, invited the directors of that Association, together with other friends of mis- sions in the United States, " to convene at the session room of the Brick Presbyterian church in that city, on Wednesday, the tenth day of Ma}^, at eight o'clock, A. M., for the purpose of forming an American Home Missionary Society.^^ This Convention w^as PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 27 accordingly held, at the time designated ; and after some preliminary proceedings, " the Rev. Mr. Pe- ters, Corresponding Secretary of the United Domes- tic Missionary Society, read a form of a Constitution, which the Executive Committee had agreed to re- commend to the Convention ;" after which, the fol- lowing resolution was passed — ^^That this Conven- tion entirely approve of the proposed plan of a Na- tional Home Missionary Society, and that they will now proceed to consider the Constitution that has been offered." After considering the Constitution, the Convention adopted the following resolutions : " That this Convention approve the proposed Con- stitution, and recommend to the United Domestic Missionary Society, to adopt the same, and to be- come the American Home Missionary Society." " That the officers of this meeting be a Committee of the Convention, to present to the United Domes- tic Missionary Society, a statement of the proceed- ings of this meeting, 'together with the proposed Constitution, and the preceding recommendation that the same be adopted. On the Friday evening fol- lowing, the United Domestic Missionary Society, met for the adoption of the Constitution, as recom- mended by the Convention."* Such was the origin of the AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. This Society, consisted, when organized, of various distinct ecclesiastical bodies, or associations, three * See Missionary Herald vol. 22, pp. 161, 191. 28 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. fourths of which were not Presbyterian ; and it ac- knowledged no responsibiUty to any judicatory of the Presbyterian church. It refused, aUhough kindly invited, to co-operate in missionary concerns with the Assembly's Board, but came forth against it in open hostility, and laboured for some years, to thwart its operations and destroy its influence. It was never denied that this Society, especially in the early pe- riods of its existence, had in its connexion many es- timable members of the Presbyterian church, was instrumental in building up and suppl34ng with pastors, no inconsiderable number of feeble congrega- tions in this Church, and that on this account, it for a time received the countenance of the General As- sembly. But it was not long before it became palpably evi- dent, that in every conflict in the General Assembly, in which an attempt was made to sustain discipline, or to maintain in their integrity the doctrines and go- vernment of the Church, the attempt was resisted, and in general defeated, by the friends and depend- ents of this Society. In a word, it became notori- ous, that the unhappy and reproachful distractions of the Church, threatening not only its peace but its very existence, were attributable, in a great measure, to the influence of this institution ; in introducing as pastors, and consequently as members of Presbyte- ries, and ultimately as members of the General As- wsembly, men of unsound theological opinions, and nearly always of lax sentiments, in regard to the go- vernment and discipline of the Church ; and that, of PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 29 course, peace and and order could not be restored, till this evil should be abated. Under this conviction, the General Assembly of 1837, passed the following resolution. " Besolved, That while we desire that no body of Christian men of other denominations, should be pre- vented from choosing their own plans of doing good; and while we claim no right to complain, should they exceed us in energy and zeal — we believe that facts too familiar to need repetition here, warrant us in affirming, that the organization and operations of the so called American Home Missionary Society, and American Education Society, and its branches of whatever name, are exceedingly injurious to the peace and purity of the Presbyterian church. We recommend, accordingly, that they should cease to operate within our Churches.'^* *Any Christian Church will be preponderantly influenced, and will eventually find all its important measures moulded and directed, by those who conduct the education, or training of its youth, for the gospel ministry ; and who possess, at the same time, the exclusive management of its domestic and fo- reign missions. The truth of this position will not be doubted by any intelligent person, who candidly and carefully considers the nature of the case, and who is able and willing to consult and appreciate the evidence derivable from observation and ex- perience. Let it then be observed, that the American Educa- tion Society, the American Home Missionary Society, and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, if their views had been carried into full effect, would in fact have conducted, to a great and commanding extent, if not exclusive- ly, the education or training of youth for the gospel ministry, in 3* 30 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. As in New York, so also in Philadelphia, there were several Missionary Societies, which were even- tually combined, and formed into a single Institution. The Christian Advocate for the month of April the Presbyterian church ; and would, at the same time, have directed all the Domestic and Foreign Missions of that Church. Now, it is known that all these institutions are without any ecclesiastical organization or responsibility what- ever; and yet, in the case supposed, they would have pos- sessed a preponderant influence in the Presbyterian church, and have given shape and direction to its most important mea- sures. — That is, the management of the concerns of this Church, would have passed out of the Church (not in form but yet in fact) into the hands of secular institutions — of secular institu- tions, moreover, a majority of whose members, to say the least, had no partiality for Presbyterian government, usages, or creeds. It will not follow from this, that those who planned the Societies in question, had hostile designs against the Pres- byterian church. This, the present writer neither affirms nor believes. Good men have often formed plans, or acted a part, the mischievous results of which they did not foresee, or sus- pect to be possible — a truth abundantly confirmed by the his- tory of the Church in past ages. It belongs not to the design of this sketch, to speak directly of other than missionary concerns. But it may with truth be remarked, that the education of youth for the gospel ministry, is essentially connected with the subject of Missions. These youth must, many of them, be ultimately the missionaries of the Church. They form, as it were, the very elements of all missionary operations; and every friend to missions, and in- deed every enlightened member of the Presbyterian church, must regard its Board of Education as intimately and directly connected with all the best interests of the Church, and yield it accordingly, a cheerful and liberal patronage. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 31 1826, contained, on this subject, the following state- ment : " Many years ago a Philadelphia Missionary Soci- ety was organized in this city, to which each annual subscriber paid five dollars, and each subscriber for life fifty dollars. For a considerable time, it was prosperous and efficient; being able constantly to support a labourer in the metropolis and its vicinity, and sometimes to send missionaries to distant parts of the commonwealth. Unhappily, however, the love of novelty, or some cause less commendable, produced within the last eight years, four or five other Presbyterian Missionary Societies, in the city and liberties of Philadelphia. This distracted the minds of our fellow citizens, divided their resources, and paralized their exertions. These Societies, for the most part, were supported by the same individu- als ; and consumed in their management five hours, where one would have been sufficient, had they been united. To produce, if possible, a better state of things, in the Presbyterian portion of this commu- nity, two of our Missionary Societies resolved to be- come extinct ; and on the 7th of the present month, a number of gentlemen of this city resolved to co- operate with each other, in an association which is called THE PENNSYLVANIA MISSIONARY SOCIETY. " More than nine hundred dollars, stipulated to be paid annually were, at once subscribed, by fourteen 32 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. individuals, and the subscriptions of a few other per- sons since, have made the annual income of the So- ciety already exceed one thousand dollars. This, we trust, will prove but a good beginning ; and we earnestly entreat our Christian friends, and es- pecially the ministers and elders of the Presby- terian Church throughout the State, to unite with us ; and not to relax their exertions, until every vacant congregation in Pennsylvania has a well in- formed and faithful pastor; and every town and village a dwelling place for the Most High. The object of this Society is, to employ regular ministers of the Gospel, or licentiates of the Presbyterian or Reformed Dutch Church in the United States, to preach among the destitute in this city and State ; and when their funds will allow, to assist infant churches in this and neighbouring States, in main- taining the stated ministrations of the word and other ordinances of Christ. * * * * Every benevo- lent heart must wish success to this newly organized Society, which seems destined particularly to pro- mote the spiritual welfare of the Presbyterian por- tion of this Commonwealth. The Reformed Dutch Church in this country is in all respects Presbyte- rian, in its creed and character ; and therefore the two denominations united in this laudable enterprize, can harmonize in their operations." This Society was zealous, active, and successful, in prosecuting the objects for wliich it was institu- ted. But it did not long continue its operations ; for after the re-organization of the Assembly's PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 33 Board of Missions, it was seen that the very pur- poses for which the Society had been formed, were embraced in the plan of that Board ; and therefore that the continuance of the Society would be rather injurious than useful. Thus it appears, that while the American Home Missionary Society absorbed all the small domestic institutions of a missionary character, within the scope of its influence, the same effect was produced, on similar institutions of a strictly Presbyterian cha- racter, in the vicinity of the Missionary Board of the General Assembly. The friends of these two large and commanding bodies, threw their funds and their influence into the one or the other of them, ac- cording as they were led by their predilections or their sense of duty. In 182S a printed Overture, signed by three cler- gymen and two laymen, was introduced into the As- sembly, through the Committee of Overtures, pro- posing and urging a new organization of the Board of Missions. After an ardent and protracted debate, occasioned by opposition to the Overture by the friends of the Home Missionary Society, the As- sembly resolved, " That the Board of Missions al- ready have the power to establish Missions, not only among the destitute of our own country, or any other country, but also among the heathen in any part of the world ; to select, appoint, and commis- sion missionaries; to determine their salaries, and to settle and pay their accounts ; that they have full authority to correspond with any other body on the 34 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. subject of missions ; to appoint an Executive Com- mittee, and an efficient Agent or agents, to manage their missionary concerns ; to take measures to form auxiliary societies, on such terms as they may deem proper ; to procure funds, and in general to manage the missionary operations of the General Assembly. It is therefore submitted to the discretion of the Board of Missions, to consider whether it is expe- dient for them to carry into effect the full powers which they possess." No time was lost, after the rising of the Assem- bly, in re-organizing THE BOARD OF MISSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEM- BLY OF THE PllESBrTERIAN CHURCH. At the fu'st meeting of this Board, an Executive Committee was appointed, a Corresponding Secre- tary and General Agent was chosen, and the per- formance of the various duties of the Board was entered on, with spirit and energy.* For several years it had to contend, as already stated, with open and active opposition, from a rival institution. But its onward progress has been constant and cheering; * The manner in which the plans of this Board have been, and still are, carried into effect, through the agency and co- operation of Presbyteries and Sessions, and indeed the whole detail of its proceedings, are so well known throughout the Presbyterian church, that it seemed not only unnecessary, but improper, to make a particular statement of them in this com- pendious view. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 35 till by its report to the General Assembly in May, 1837, it appears that in the preceding year, the Mis- sionary Fund had amounted to nearly thirty-one. thousand dollars ; that the number of missionaries and agents employed, had been tivo hundred and seventy -five; that several missionaries had been sent to places where no churches or congregations had been previously organized ; that their missionaries had laboured in twenty of the States of the Ameri- can Union, and that the amount of ministerial labour performed, had been equal to one hundred and twenty-seven years ; that the number of members added to the churches under the care of the mission- aries, by examination and certificate, had been two thousand, six hundred and sixty; that eighteen new churches had been organized, and about sixty houses for public worship erected ; that the num- ber of Sabbath Schools that had been formed was a little short oi five hundred, in which were em- ployed two thousand eight hundred teachers, and twelve thousand scholars; that two hundred and fifty Bible Classes had been reported, containing more than five thousand learners ; that the number of Temperance Societies reported had been about three hundred and eighty, containing ybr/y thou- sand members; that beside the monthly Concert, four hundred weekly prayer meetings had been established, one hundred and twenty Bible Socie- ties, sixty-eight Tract Societies, one hundred and thirty Missionary Societies, and Societies for pro- 36 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ] moting other benevolent operations in similar pro- \ portion. j Domestic Missions in the Presbyterian church ' may now be considered as systematically and perma- nently established, and under the continued blessing of the Great Head of the Church, with every pros- pect of extensive and increasing usefulness. ] (37) FOREIGN OR HEATHEN MISSIONS. As already stated, Heathen Missions, in the in- fancy of the Presbyterian Church, were impracti- cable. It was with difficulty, and principally by their own labour and management, that the ministers of the gospel obtained a bare subsistence, for themselves and their families. The heathen in their neighbour- hoods lived by the chase and led an unsettled life ; so that without some pecuniary aid, derived from a foreign source, a missionary could not exist among them — if indeed a missionary to them ought, in any event, to have been employed, when on all sides their own countrymen were perishing for lack of know- ledge. Early, however, they found the means and the men for the prosecution of Heathen Missions. The Church of Scotland was their mother Church ; and to her they looked, to enable them to send the Gospel to the pagans of the wilderness. " The So- ciety in Scotland for propagating Christian know- ledge" was instituted, in Edinburgh, in 1709. This Society, in 1741, established a Board of Correspon- dents in New York, who, on proper recommenda- tion, appointed the Rev. Azariah Horton, a member of the Presbytery of New York, to labour as a mis- sionary on Long Island, where a large number of 4 38 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. Indians then resided. This was the first formal heathen mission, instituted in the Presbyterian Church. Whatever Christian instruction had been previously given by Presbyterian ministers to the natives of the forest, had been imparted to such as were found willing to receive it, in the neighbour- hood of settled pastors. Mr. Horton received from Scotland a salary of forty pounds sterling per an- num; and he chose for his assistant and interpreter a man by the name of Miranda, an Indian, and for- merly a trader, but who had for some time laboured to instruct the Delaware and Susquehannah Indians. Mr. Horton's interpreter died, not long after his ap- pointment, but the mission was still prosecuted by himself; and at the East end of the Island, where the greatest number of Indians were found, his suc- cess, for a time, was highly encouraging. A gene- ral reformation of manners speedily appeared, and several gave satisfactory evidence of a saving con- version ; a number were taught to read, and in two or three years, he had baptized forty-five adults, and forty-four children. The introduction of spirituous liquors, the banc of the Indians, had an unhappy influence, in arresting the progress of the Gospel among them. Yet it appears, that so late as 17S8, the Indians in those places where Mr. Horton laboured were still religiously disposed, had two preachers among them, both Indians, who were well esteemed; and that a num])cr of individuals were then in the full communion of tlie church. The second Presbyterian missionary to the In- PRESBYTERIAN 3IISSI0NS. 39 dians was the justly celebrated David Brainerd. He also received a salary from the same Society in Scotland, by which Mr. Horton had been supported. He was licensed to preach by an association of Con- gregational ministers, convened at Danbury in Con- necticut, July 29 1742; and in the character of a licentiate, spent about a year in missionary labour, at an Indian settlement called Kaunaumeek, about twenty miles from Albany, in the Province of New York. Here his success was not encourag- ing, and his sufferings, both mental and bodily, were extreme. Inflexibly determined, however, to devote his life to the evangelizing of the Heathen, he refused a pressing invitation to a very advantage- ous settlement, in an English congregation on Long Island. He was ordained as a missionary by the Presbytery of New York, at Newark in New Jer- sey, June 12th 1744. From this time to his death, (October 9th 1747) he was a member both of the Presbytery and Synod of New York, and attended all their meetings, unless prevented by sickness, or by his missionary engagements. Immediately after his ordination, his attention was directed to three collections, or bodies of Indians, considerably re- mote from each other ; namely, to those located at the forks of the Delaware river, in the Province of Pennsylvania, to those on the borders of the Sus- quehannah river, in the same Province, and to those who resided at a place, the Indian name of which was Crosweeksung, called by the English Cros- weeks, near the centre of the Province of New 40 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. Jersey, and from eighteen to twenty miles to the South of New Brunswick. He spent the most of his time at the first and last mentioned of these places ; although he made no less than four visits to the borderers on the Susquehannah, encountering dangers, privations, and sufferings, of the most appal- ling kind; and by his last visit increasing greatly a tendency to a consumption of the lungs, which ter- minated his life, in about a year after his return. Of the three fields of missionary labour, in which Mr. Brainerd was employed after his ordination, Crosweeksung was that in which he reaped, almost exclusively, the harvest of his success. On the pa- gans of the Susquehannah he made but little impres- sion. Among those at the Forks of the Delaware, his interpreter, with his wife, were the only indi- viduals who gave evidence of a sound conversion ; although an external reformation of manners was visible, in a considerable number. But at Cros- weeksung his success was perhaps without a paral- lel, in heathen missions, since the days of the apos- tles. For his exertions were made single handed; he had no fellow labourer, beyond a little occasional assistance, from two or three neighbouring brethren in the ministry. In opposition to discouragements which would have subdued any ordinary mind, and which went near to vanquish his own, he long per- severed, with no prospect of obtaining the object of his wishes and his agonizing prayers, in the conver- sion of those to whom he ministered. " I do not know'' he says in his journal, " that my hopes re- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 41 specting the conversion of the Indians were ever reduced to so low an ebb, since I had any concern for them, as when I first visited the Indians at Cros- weeksung. Yet this was the very season in which God saw fit to begin this glorious work. " A glori- ous work it pre-eminently was. His own summary account of it is in these words : " June 19th, 1746. This day makes up a complete year, from the first time of my preaching to these Indians in New Jersey. What amazing things has God wrought, in this space of time, for this people I What a surprising change appears in their tempers and behaviour ! How are morose and savage pagans, in this short period, transformed into agreeable, af- fectionate, and humble Christians ! and their drunken and pagan bowlings turned into devout and fer- vent praises to God ! They ' who were sometimes in darkness are now become light in the Lord.' May they ^walk as children of the light and of the day!' And now, to Him that is of power to establish them, according to the Gospel and the preaching of Christ, to God only wise, be glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen." Mr. Brainerd soon became sensible, that the Gos- pel could not be permanently established among his Indian converts, unless he could prevail on them to abandon their wandering life as hunters, and rely for their subsistance on the cultivation of the soil. He therefore advised them — and they unanimously re- solved to follow his advice^ — to form a compact set- tlement by themselves, and to become agricultur- 42 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ists. But for this undertaking, their residence at Crosweeksung was unfavourable, as the soil, though covered with bushes, was entirely unfit for cultiva- tion. But the territory which they had not yet ceded to the English, was of considerable extent; and at the distance of about fifteen miles, at a place called Cranberry, they possessed a large tract of land, favourable to agricultural operations. Hither, therefore, they removed ; formed a settlement with- out any mixture with the white population, and under the direction and instruction of their mis- sionary, who had to take personally the charge of every concern, they entered on the business of farm- ing. They were organized into a regular church of about forty communicating members ; the whole number that removed being about one hundred and fifty. A very prosperous school of from twenty- five to thirty children, and which was eventually enlarged to fifty, was likewise established, under the instruction of an excellent master, whom Mr. Brain- erd obtained for them, and for whose support he solicited donations. Some adults were also tau2;ht to read, in an evening school, opened for their accommodation. It was in this manner that JMr. Brainerd hoped he had provided for the perpetua- ting of Gospel ordinances, not only among the In- dians already christianized, but also for their de- scendants, lie erected among them a house for his own residence, in the building of which a consider- able part of the labour was performed by himself — This was the fourth structure which, at his differ- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 43 ent missionary stations, he had built for the same purjDOse, and mostly with his own hands. Scarcely was he settled in his new abode, when his con- sumptive complaint compelled him to abandon both it and his beloved charge. After being confined at Elizabethtown, in the house of the Rev. Jona- than Dickinson, for about four months, he acquired strength enough to return, and bid a final farewell to his congregation of heathen converts, on the ISth of February 1747. He died, as already stated, on the 9th of the following October, in the 30th year of his age, the half of this year not being completed. A very short time before his death, he was visited by his brother and successor, John Brainerd, and was comforted by the prospect, that in him his bereaved flock would still be under the care of a faithful, able, and afiectionate pastor. The Rev. John Brainerd was a member both of the Synod and the Presbytery of New York. For several years he w^as successful in sustaining, and in somewhat enlarging, the Indian congregation and school, which his brother had organized. During a period in whiah his labours among the Indians at Cranberry were suspended, by several journeys which he made to those on the Susquehannah, and by other causes, his place was well supplied by the Rev. William Tennent, of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, whose pastoral charge was in the neighbourhood of Cranberry. Mr. John Brainerd, as well as his brother, held a correspondence with the Society in Scotland for the promotion of Chris- 44 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tian knowledge ; but he was supported principally, if not wholly, by funds derived from the contribu- tions of Presbyterian congregations in America. Such was certainly the fact; after the commencement of our Revolutionary war. The Synod had previ- ously allowed him a salary of thirty pounds per an- num ; and in 1763 they ordered a collection to be taken up in all their congregations, for the support of the Indian Mission. To the schoolmaster they awarded, for that year, an allowance of thirty pounds. They also voted sixty-five pounds, for the support of the Rev. Sampson Occum, a native Indian, a member of the Presbytery of Suffolk, on Long Island, and at that time a missionary among the Oneida Indians. He was afterwards employed, for many years, among various tribes of his race. The converts from paganism who were gathered into the Christian Church by the Brainerds, appear to have maintained, with very few exceptions, a character for vital piety and exemplary deportment, through the whole of their subsequent life ; and some are represented as having died in the triumph- ant hope of the Gospel. But from jl variety of causes Avhich cannot now be specified, but chiefly from being deprived of their lands by the fraud and cupidity of the white inhabitants, their numbers were greatly reduced.* In 1802, some commis- sioners from New Jersey, conducted eighty-five * The following statement is taken from Brown's History of Missions, vol. i. p. 136. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 45 Delaware Indians, the remainder of Mr. John Brain- erd's congregation, to New Stockbridge, to place them under the ministry of Mr. Sergeant, the mis- sionary in that town ; and it was then stated that after Mr. Brainerd's death (in 1780) they were left alone, having no spiritual shepherd to watch over them, no meetings for divine worship on the Sab- bath, and no school for their children. We only add that the remnant left, seem to have lost all sense of religion; and it is believed have now become nearly, if not altogether extinct — the common fate of Indians when surrounded by a white population. In the year 1766, the Rev. Charles Beatty and the Rev. George Duffield, performed a mission, by the appointment of the Synod, among the Indians on the Muskingum river, in what is now the state of Ohio, but which was then a howling wilderness. An account of this mission was published in a printed pamphlet ; and the representation made was so favourable, that in the following year the Synod appointed two other missionaries to the same region ; but owing to unfavourable reports of the state of things among the Indians and the frontier inhabitants, this mission was not fulfilled ; and no farther attempts were made to evangelize the hea- then in that quarter. THE NEW YORK MISSIONARY SOCIETY. In 1796, the New York Missionary Society was organized, consisting principally of members of the 46 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. Presbyterian Church. It owed its origin to the mis- sionary zeal excited by the accounts then recently received in this country, of the institution, animated exertions, and flattering prospects, of the London Missionary Society. The present writer can state from a distinct recollection of his feelings and lan- guage at the period now referred to, that although he highly approved the zeal of the founders of this Society, and was perfectly willing that they should prosecute their own views of duty, yet for himself he saw no need of any new organization, for mis- sionary operations in the Presbyterian church. He thought the zeal now awakened should be cherish- ed, and be carried into the General Assembly of our Church ; that in this body we already had an organization, than which none could be devised better adapted to the prosecution of foreign as well as domestic missions ; in a word, it was his opinion, that every member of the Presbyterian church should use his influence, and all his means, for evan- gelizing the heathen, through the agency of the Su- preme Judicatory of our Church. How far these sentiments prevailed is not known ; but it was only in the northern section of the Presbyterian church, that societies, similar to that now under considera- tion, were at that time patronized. The members of this Society, however, though not very numerous, proceeded with a laudable spirit and activity in the execution of their plans. They collected funds to a considerable amount ; and under their patronage one PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 47 of their missionaries, with his son as a school mas- ter^ formed a. missionary establishment among the Chickasaw Indians, w^hich for a time prospered, and promised to be permanent. No less than eigh- teen individuals went out with this mission, and contributed in various ways, to carry its design into effect. The Society also established two Indian mis- sions in the state of New York ; one in the Tusca- rora, and the other in the Seneca tribe. Both these missions, especially the latter, appear to have pros- pered ; and to have been happily instrumental in gathering a number of the heathen, as hopeful con- vert, into the Christian Church. In the year 1821, they transferred all their missions to the United Foreign Missionary Society. THE NORTHERN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. In 1797, the Northern Missionary Society was in- stituted. Why a distinct society was so soon form- ed, in the neighbourhood of that last mentioned, and what was the proportion of members of the Presby- terian Church which it embodied, is unknown to the present writer. Commendable exertions, however, were made by this institution, to promote Indian missions. The Society obtained considerable funds, and the Indians themselves made it a valuable do- nation of land. In the circular letter sent in 1802, by the Standing Committee of Missions, to the mis- sionary establishments of Europe, it is stated, that 48 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. this Society had then " made preparations for send- ing a minister of the Gospel and a school master, to the Oneida nation of Indians." It also appears that it had a mission located at Fort Gratiot, which was assumed by the United Foreign Missionary Society in 1823, and transferred to the American Board in 1826 ; at which time, it employed one male and two female teachers, and had established a school, containing from fifteen to twenty Indian children. In the appointment of Mr. Chapman, as a mis- sionary to the north-western frontier of the state of New York, in the year 1800, the General Assembly had a reference, not only to the wants of the white population, but to the deplorable condition of the Indian tribes, for whom their sympathy was deeply enlisted. Hence, in the circular letter addressed to the Presbyteries by the Standing Committee, in 1802, the following passage appeared, " Mission- aries for the Indians is a great desideratum with the Assembly. The hope of contributing to send the Gospel to the heathen tribes, prompted the liberality of many who have contributed most largely to the funds which the Assembly have at command ; and it was with the deepest regret, that the last Assembly found that they had not a single candidate for an In- dian mission. If your Presbytery can nominate one who is well qualified, it will be an important acqui- sition." The next year (1803) the desideratum of the As- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 49 sembly was obtained. The Rev. Gideon Blackburn was found willing to engage in a MISSION TO THE CHEROKEE INDIANS. Mr. Blackburn was accordingly recommended by the Committee, and appointed by the Assem- bly. With great zeal, activity, and devotedness, he prosecuted his missionary undertaking for eight years. But the failure of his health (in 1810), and a necessary removal of his family to a greater distance from the field of missionary labour, com- pelled him to retire, when he seemed to be on the point of reaping the fruits of his toils and sufferings. This was a subject of great regret to the Commit- tee, to the Assembly, and to many others, who had taken a lively interest in this promising mission. Mr. Blackburn's efforts were principally directed to the establishment of schools among the Cherokees. By these schools he hoped to promote their civiliza- tion, to prepare them for an advantageous hearing of the Gospel in public preaching, and for a permanent enjoyment of its ordinances. He also had it in view to qualify the Indian youth, not only for the duties of secular life, but for ministerial usefulness, when, by the blessing of God, any of them should become practically pious. Two flourishing schools were es- tablished; for the support of one of which, he made himself personally and exclusively responsible. For sustaining the other, the annual allowance made by the Assembly, for several years, was five hundred 5 50 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. dollars; and to this, in one year, an addition of three hundred dollars, was made by the New Jersey Mis- sionary Society. Not less than ten thousand dollars were expended on this mission ; more than half of which was obtained by Mr. Blackburn himself, in do- nations and contributions which he received, chiefly in a journey which he made for the purpose through the New England states. The amount of his receipts, as stated by himself, was five thousand three hundred forty-seven dollars and ninety cents. The ability, assiduity, and fidelity of Mr. Black- burn in his missionary employment, not only among the Indians, but in preaching the Gospel to the white population in the vicinity of the Cherokee country, was attested by the Governor of the state of Tennes- see, by other respectable individuals, and by the Presbytery of Union. The rapid improvement of the youth in his Indian schools, was truly surpri- sing. The specimens of their hand writing, and of some articles of their manufacture, which were trans- mitted to the Committee, manifested a progress in improvement of the most promising kind. In 1806, there were in the two schools, seventy-five scholars, whose proficiency in reading, writing, and aritbmetic, exceeded the most sanguine expectations which had previously been entertained. But the improvement of the Cherokces, during the mission of Mr. Black- burn, was not confined to the schools. The Indians in general, made no inconsiderable progress in many of the common and most useful arts of life. They assumed, to a great extent, not only the habits, but PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 51 even the form of Government, of a civilized nation. At a kind of national meeting, they formed a Consti- tution, chose a legislative body, and passed a number of laws, among which was an act imposing taxes for public purposes.* It was the intention of the Standing Committee of Missions of the Assembly, to prosecute the Chero- kee Mission ; but v/hile they were looking for mis- sionaries possessing suitable qualifications for the * In a letter from Mr. Blackburn, of January 5, 1810, the fol- lowing interesting statement of tiie progress of the Cherokee Indians, towards a state of civilization, was contained : " In the nation there are twelve thousand three hundred and ninety-five Indians. The number of females exceeds that of the males, by two hundred. The whites in the nation are three hundred and forty-one. Of these, there are one hundred and thirteen who have Indian wives. Of Negro slaves there are five hundred and eigh- ty-three. The number of their cattle is nineteen thousand five hundred; of their horses six thousand one hundred; of their hogs nineteen thousand six hundred; of their sheep one thou- sand thirty-seven. They have now in actual operation thir- teen grist-mills, three saw mills, three salt-petre works, and one powder mill. They have fifty wagons; between four hun- dred and eighty and five hundred ploughs ; one thousand six hundred spinning wheels; four hundred and sixty-seven looms, and forty-nine silver smiths. " Circulating specie is supposed to be as plenty among them as is common among the white people. Most of these advanta- ges they have acquired since the year 1796, and particularly since 1803." There is a more extended detail, accompanied by calculations, which we have not room to insert ; but it may be seen, in the appendix to Brown's 1st volume of the History of Missions, page 505, 52 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. work, the Rev. Mr. Kingsbury, acting under the au- thority of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, passed through Philadelphia, to occupy the field in which the missionaries of the General Assembly had been labouring for eight years. When Mr. Kingsbury waited on the Chair- man of the Standing Committee, to know if there was any objection to his mission to the Cherokees, he was informed that the Committee could not object to his labouring for the benefit of that benighted peo- ple ; but at the same time, he was distinctly apprized of their design to resume the mission, so soon as Providence should be pleased to furnish them with suitable missionaries. The subsequent success of the missionaries of the American Board, in this " line of things made ready to their hand," was most happy ; and rendered unnecessary any farther efforts of the Standing Committee, to prosecute a mission in the Cherokee country. A MISSION AMONG THE WYANDOT INDIANS, In 1805, the Standing Committee of the General Assembly received a letter (dated October 23, of that year) from the Secretary of " The Board of Trust of the Western Missionary Society," composed of members, and acting under the direction, of the Sy- nod of Pittsburgh, and chartered by the state of Pennsylvania, requesting pecuniary aid in establish- ing a mission among the Wyandot Indians. The Committee could not act ofTicially in answer to the PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 53 request of the Board of Trust, till authorized so to do by the General Assembly ; but one of their mem- bers immediately made them a donation of one hun- dred dollars, and the Assembly of the following year appropriated four hundred dollars to their funds. The same sum was awarded to them annually, for several years in succession. Sandusky in the state of Ohio, was selected by the Board, for the loca- tion of their missionary establishment. Their ulti- mate design was to evangelize the savages ; but to facilitate the attainment of this great object, they or- ganized a school for the instruction of their children, whom they both fed and clothed. They also pro- cured land, for the purpose of assisting, by its cul- tivation, in the support of the establishment ; as well as to instruct and engage the Indians in the business of farming. On the farm, they erected the neces- sary buildings, and the school consisted of from thir- ty to forty pupils. This mission was going on in a very prosperous way, till the war of 1812 ; when the buildings having been burned, and the improve- ments destroyed by the enemy, the mission was sus- pended. An effort was made to revive it after the war, but with little success. MISSION AT CORNPLANTEr's TOWN. In 1814 the Western Board, in consequence of a personal and pressing application from Cornplanter, a distinguished chief of the Six nations, resolved to establish a mission among his people. The Indians, 5* 54 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. who had requested this mission, received very cor- dially the missionary and school-master who were sent to them, engaged to provide for their own chil- dren boarding and lodging, without any expense to the Society; and the Chief promised to furnish a school-house and a dwelling for the teacher, together with a farm, if it should be judged necessary to promote the design of the mission. This chief seemed to have a deep sense of the importance of the Christian religion, both for himself and his people ; and to be exceedingly desirous that they should learn and practise the arts and usages of civilized life. The General Assembly agreed to allow three hundred dollars, toward the support of this mission. But the instruction of these Indians was, after a short time, assumed by another denomination of Christians ; and in the autumn of 1818, the school at Cornplanter's town, owing to the occurrence of several obstacles, and the removal of a number of the Indian families from the town and the adjacent country, was discon- tinued. The Board of Trust, reluctant to loose alto- gether, the fruits of their labour and liberality, endea- voured to persuade a number of the Indian boys, who had made some considerable progress, to prose- cute their education ; and offered as an encourage- ment, to bring them into Christian society, and to clothe, support, and instruct them gratuitously. This benevolent offer, however, was not accepted, and the Board were compelled, at least for a time, to resign their hopes of further success. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 55 MISSION AT LEWISTOWN IN OHIO. In 1814, a mission at Lewistown in Ohio was projected, for the benefit of the Indians in that vicin- ity. In the following year, four hundred and fifty dollars were granted to the Rev. James Hughs, who was about to remove to Ohio, and offered to under- take the mission. Here, as elsewhere, the prospect of benefitting the benighted pagans seemed to be highly promising, and yet it ended in disappoint- ment. It is deserving of notice, that however un- productive of other beneficial results, were the In- dian Missions undertaken and patronized by the Ge- neral Assembly, they seem to have had a happy efiect in preventing savage barbarities, on the frontiers of our country. It appears that not one of the tribes that the Assembly attempted to evangelize, took any hostile part in the existing conflict, during the war of 1812. In 1818, the General Assembly adopted measures which resulted in the establishment of the UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Believing that a new Society for conducting Fo- reign Missions might be advantageously formed, the Assembly of that year entered into a correspondence on the subject, with the Reformed Dutch Church, and the Associated Reformed Church. The propo- sition made, met with a cordial reception from the 56 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. supreme judicatories of these sister Churches ; and the Committee which had been appointed to manage the concern on the part of the Assembly, reported, at the next meeting of that body, the Constitution which had been prepared for the contemplated Soci- ety ; and which, after some amendments, adopted in the following year, stood as expressed in the follow- ing articles. " 1. The Society shall be composed of the Pres- byterian, Reformed Dutch, and Associate Reformed Churches, and all others who may choose to join them ; and shall be known by the name of The Uni- ted Foreign Missionary Society. " 2. The object of the Society shall be, to spread the Gospel among the Indians of North America, the inhabitants of Mexico, and South America, and other portions of the heathen and anti-christian world. *'3. The business of the Society shall be conduct-, ed by a Board, consisting of a President, six Vice- Presidents, a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, and eighteen Managers, to be annually chosen by the Society. They shall have power to enact their own bye-laws. Seven shall constitute a quorum. " 4. The Board shall present their annual report to the highest judicatory of the three denominations, for their information. " 5. Any person paying three dollars annually, or thirty dollars at one time, shall be a member of the Society ; and any person presenting to the Society a PRESBYTERIAxN 31ISSIONS. 57 donation of not less than one hundred dollars, shall be a director for life, and entitled to a seat and vote in the Board of Managers. " 6. The President, Treasurer, and Secretary of any Society auxiliary to this, shall be ex-officio members of the Board of ManaiJiers. " 7. The Board of Managers shall be authorized to fill any vacancies that may occur in the Board. "8. The annual meeting of the Society shall be in the city of New York on the . " 9. Missionaries shall be selected from the three Churches indiscriminately. " 10. This Constitution may be altered by a vote of two thirds of the members present at an annual meeting, with the consent of the highest judicatory of the three denominations." The operations of this Society were commenced with vigour and unanimity, and with prospects appa- rently the most auspicious. The United States Go- vernment, then under the presidency of Mr. Mon- roe, gave it countenance and patronage — allotting to its establishments a liberal portion of the fund annu* ally appropriated by Congress to the civilization of the Indians. The Superintendent of Indian Trade, Col. Thomas L. McKenney, could scarcely have em- barked in its favour with more zeal and activity, if the whole concern had been his own. The supreme judicatories of the united denominations, made ear- nest and repeated appeals to the Churches under their supervision — urging them to liberal contribu- tions to support the establishments which they were 58 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. pledged to sustain, and to earnest, united, and con- stant prayer for their success. Numerous auxiliary Societies and Associations were formed, to aid the operations of the general Board ; and toward the close of its existence, subordinate Boards of Agency, were established at Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville in Kentucky, and St. Louis in Missouri. An inte- resting monthly publication, entitled The American Missionary Register^ was issued, containing parti- cular information of the state, progress, prospects, and necessities of the several Missions under the di- rection of the Board, and a general survey of other missions, both domestic and foreign, with biographi- cal notices of eminent deceased missionaries. The appointed officers and agents of the Society were ac- tive and laborious, as well as intelligent, in the dis- charge of their duties severally ; and the missiona- ries they employed were in general competent, as well as faithful, devoted, and persevering — not dis- heartened by the sickness which often prevailed, and the deaths which not unfrequently occurred among them. No extended detail of the proceedings of the Board, or of the results of its plans and efforts, can be given in this compendious view. The wri- ter is indebted to the kindness of the Secretary for domestic correspondence, Mr. Z. Lewis, for a sum- mary statement of the missions established, and of some other important particulars, of which he will avail himself; and to which he will subjoin a few additional remarks. Mr. Lewis states, that "The PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 59 United Foreign Missionary Society established in 1820, the Union Mission, among the Osages of the Arkansas : in 1821, the Harmony Mission, among the Osages of the Missouri : in 1822, the Catarau- gus Mission, in Western New York: in 1823, the Mackinaw Mission, in Michigan Territory: in 1824, the Haytian Mission, in the Island of Hay- ti ; in all five missions. Four other missions were transferred to us, as follows : in 1821, the Tusca- rora and Seneca Missions, by the New York Mis- sionary Society; in 1823, .the Fort Gratiot Mis- sion, in Michigan, by the Northern Missionary Society: and in 1825, the Manmee Mission, on the Maumee river, by the Western Missionary So- ciety at Pittsburgh. Thus when our missionary in- terests were transferred to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, we had under our care Nine Missions, embracing sixty male and female missionaries; tivo hundred and fifty chil- dren and youth, including six beneficiaries at the Foreign Mission School in Connecticut ; and more than forty native converts to the faith and hope of the Gospel.'' THE TWO OSAGE MISSIONS. In a brief review of the missions thus mentioned by Mr. Lewis, it is painful to remark, that the two Osage Missions, although the first established, and always the most expensive, yet were those in which there was the least success. Till about the middle 60 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. of August 182 3, when, by the interposition and in- fluence of the agents of the general government, peace was established among the Osages and the Cherokees, there had been, between those tribes, from the time of the arrival of the missionaries in the Osage country, a state of ceaseless hostility. From this cause, the mission families were often placed in very perilous circumstances ; and though, under the protection of a kind Providence, they eventually escaped personal violence, and sustained no material loss of property, yet their plans and efforts for the benefit of the benighted pagans were all marred, and constantly held in check. Beside the erection of mills, the enclosure and cultivation of large fields, and the establishment of a smithery, schools were opened, and the Indians w^ere invited and urged to send their children for instruction. But a general and standing excuse for keeping them from school was, the danger to which they would be exposed from their enemies, if absent from their parents. That this excuse was little else than a pretence, was proved by the slow and small increase of the schools, after the restoration of peace. In August 1823, there were in the school at Harmony ^ but eighteen children, thir- teen girls and five boys ; and at the Union school, the whole number was only thirteen. In 1825, the school at Harmony had reached its maximum num- ber of thirty-six pupils ; and at Union the number varied from fourteen to twenty ; and in the few in- stances in which some serious impressions of reli- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 61 gion seemed to be made, the hopes of the mission- aries were ultimately disappointed. If there was ever a single Osage who became a Christian convert, and held fast his integrity, it is unknown to the author of this sketch ; * so that the native converts mentioned b)^ Mr. Lewis, must have been among the heathen of the other missionary sta- tions. At those located in western New York, it is known, that promising Christian churches were es- tablished ; a considerable number of hopeful converts were also made at other missionary stations, whose members were mostly native Indians. The want of success among the Osages does not appear to have been attributable to any defect of fide- lity, zeal, or diligence in the missionaries employed by the United Foreign Missionary Society ; and whatever appearances of a change for the better, if such there were, under the management of the Ame- rican Board, those appearances must have been tem- porary and evanescent. The Missionary Herald for the month of January, of the present year, contains the following melancholy statement — " Mr. Requa, the only remaining individual of the Osage mission, and who had himself nearly determined to abandon * Since the above was written, the writer has seen with plea- sure, in the Missionary Herald for March 1838, the following statement from a missionary to the Cherokees of Arkansas — " The Osage young woman, who has been brought up by the mission, aids in the management of the girls out of school. She has been a professor of religion for several years, and seems to be a true follower of Christ." 6 62 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. his work there in discouragement, visited their towns last autumn. It seemed to him that the pro- vidence of God was clearly calling to a re-establish- ment of the mission, and accordingly, after corres- ponding with the Committee, he examined their re- servation, and selected a favourable spot for a large agricultural colony, and made considerable progress in preparing the requisite buildings and other im- provements. A preacher and school-master were ex- pected to join him, as soon as circumstances would permit. But during the past summer, the hostility of other portions of the tribe to the new establish- ment, and apparently to all measures for introducing Christian knowledge and the arts of civilized life among them, became manifest. So great was the an- noyance suffered, and so little prospect of usefulness, or even of safety to the settlers and the mission pro- perty, did there seem to be, that in the month of July, Mr. Requa removed his effects, and left the re- servation. No mission station is maintained among the Osages." * THE CATARAUGUS MISSION, Was located near the shores of Lake Erie, about thirty miles from Buffalo. The Indians of this sta- tion were only a section of the Seneca tribe ; and both the Senecas and Tuscaroras were greatly divi- * The last accounts from the Osage tribe, represent this un- happy people as in the most deplorable state of misery and des- titution — suffering and dying of absolute famine PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 63 ded on the subject of receiving Christian Missiona- ries, the Christian party being earnestly in favour of their reception, and the more numerous Pagan party decisively opposed to their instructions, and even to their residing on the Indian reservations. The prin- cipal Chief of the Seneca nation, known by the name of Red Jacket, was avowedly and till the day of his death, which but recently occurred, determinately and inveterately hostile, both to civilization and the Christian religion. The United Foreign Missionary Society, however, were fortunate enough to secure the services of a teacher, who, under their patronage, established the most prosperous school at this station which they ever founded. The managers, in their eighth report, the last before the transfer to the American Board, speaking of the Cataraugus Mis- sion, make the following statement : — " The contin- ued progress of this Mission is highly gratifying to your Managers. The school, at our last anniversa- ry, embraced forty-five children, twenty-five having since been added, the present number is seventy. By their general deportment, by the proficiency they have made in learning to read and write, and the cheerfulness and skill with which they have per- formed the duties assigned to them out of school, the children have gained the commendation and esteem of their instructors. Some of the older boys have manifested a more than ordinary seriousness of char- acter. Impressed with a sense of their danger as sin- ners, they have been discovered in little weeping circles, renouncing the Pagan's hope, and uniting 64 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. their hearts in prayer to the Christian's God and Sa- viour. Several of the Chiefs, in the view of your Superintendent, give evidence of piety. They are anxiously looking forward to the appointment of a minister of the Gospel for that station ; and are only waiting the organization of a missionary church, to make a public and formal renunciation of the Pagan standard, and to enrol their names under the banner of the cross." THE MACKINAW MISSION. The Mackinaw Mission, on the island of Michil- imacinach, in the strait or broad stream which con- nects Lake Huron with Lake Michigan, was supposed to occupy a position peculiarly favourable to exten- sive missionary operations. In the report of the Managers, referred to in the foregoing article, they say — " In the opinion of the Superintendent [of this mission] the field of missionary labour at this sta- tion, may be just as wide as the most extended chari- ties and active exertions of the Church please to make it." This opinion is confirmed by a letter from a respectable officer of the garrison at Sault de St. Marie, and by the verbal communications of a judi- cious and intelligent citizen of that place. They all concur in the opinion, that Mackinaw, in point of local situation, is better calculated for a missionary establishment, than any other part of that western region ; and that, to future missionaries, it will prove PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 65 the key of entrance into a number of distant and populous tribes.'' The Rev. William M. Ferry, who had previously resided at Mackinaw for about ten months, and who tendered his services to the Board, was appointed superintendent of the Mission. A letter of instruc- tions was sent to his residence at Northampton, in Massachusetts, and he speedily repaired, with his wife, to the place of his destination. A promising school was opened, which at the time the mission was transferred, in its infant state, to the American Board, contained nearly fifty Indian children. A fe- male teacher, in addition to Mrs. Ferry, was em- ployed in this school. THE HAYTIEN MISSION. The Haytien Mission, was intended for the be- nefit of the coloured people of the United States, who, influenced by the favourable prospects presen- ted to them in Hayti, by the constituted authorities of that island, resorted thither in great numbers, in 1824. The United Foreign Missionary Society ap- pointed two missionaries of the coloured race, Mr. Pennington of New York, and Mr. Hughes of Phila- delphia, both ordained ministers, to visit Hayti ; to preach to the emigrants, and when circumstances should favour, to form one or more Presbyterian churches among them. They repaired to the field of their missionary labour ; but soon left it, without effecting any thing valuable, although they were 66 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. kindly received. A ruling elder of the First Afri- can Presbyterian church of Philadelphia, has stated to the writer, since this sketch has been in prepara- tion, that he was in Hayti when the missionaries ar- rived ; that he became acquainted with them ; that such were the discouraging circumstances in which they found the emigrants, that they scarcely at- tempted to preach ; that they stayed on the Island not more than three months, and then returned to this country ; as did many others who were disap- pointed like themselves. THE TUSCARORA MISSION. The Tuscarora Mission, located about four miles East of Lewistown, Niagara county, New York, had been under the care of the New York Missionary Society for about twenty years, when it was trans- ferred to the United Foreign Missionary Society in 1821. At the time of the transfer, the estabishment possessed a missionary farm of about a hundred and forty acres, with a good house, barn, and orchard ; about forty acres of the farm were enclosed, and un- der the cultivation of an experienced farmer, with his family. There was at the station, one mission- ary, the Rev. James C. Crane; a regularly organized church, comprising seventeen Indian members ; and preparations had been made to erect a new council- house, and also a church edifice of larger dimensions and more convenient structure, than that which had hitherto been occupied. The Indians generally PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 67 lived in comfortable dwellings, and had made no inconsiderable progress in civilization, possessed a good deal of property, all the implements of hus- bandry, and some of their youth had made good pro- ficiency in the elementary parts of an English educa- tion. This mission was somewhat improved, during the five years it was under the care of the United Society, but the details cannot be inserted in this li- mited sketch. The result may be judged of by a single extract from the journal of its Superintendent, the Rev. Thomas Harris, written three months after it had been made over to the American Board. The extract relates to a sacramental season, and is as fol- lows: — "August 29, 1826. Went to the Tuscarora vil- lage on Saturday, and met with the Church and congregation on the Sabbath. The assembly, though small, appeared to be devout. To me it was a privi- lege truly delightful, to hold out to the scattered of Christ's flock on this thirsty hill, the symbols of a Saviour's death ; and to witness with what tears of joy and thankfulness many came forward, and re- ceived the tokens of his love. " There has been at this station, for a few months past, a more than usual seriousness among some of the young people. Six or seven persons have ap- peared for some time, to be anxiously inquiring the way to heaven. I requested all the inquirers to meet me on Monday afternoon. I was deeply affec- ted with the indications of the Divine Spirit with us. Such appeared to be the tenderness of conscience, 68 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the deep and powerful conviction of the hatefulness of sin, and the earnestness of desire to be delivered from its power, that I could not for a moment doubt, that God had been among them by his Spirit ; and in the case of three or four 'wounded mightily.' Some of these persons were so affected in conversing with me, that they sobbed and cried aloud for some time. They say that frequently they have such an awful sense of their past iniquity, that they cannot help crying out." THE SENECA MISSION. The Seneca Mission, was located four or five miles from Bufi*alo, near the outlet of Lake Erie, and was commenced by the New York Missionary Society in 1811, and transferred to the United Foreign Mis- sionary Society, along with the Tuscarora Mission in 1821. When assumed by the latter Society, the property of this mission consisted of two dwelling houses and a school-house, together with the use, for an indefinite period, of the ground on which they were erected. This tribe, doubtless under the influ- ence of Red Jacket, their principal Chief, had re- fused to permit a preacher of the gospel to reside among them ; although they allowed a school to be opened for the instruction of their children; and the teacher of this school, with his wife, were the only missionaries at this station, when it was relinquished by the New York Missionary Society. Immedi- ately afterwards, however, two additional female PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 69 teachers were appointed for the school; and the Christian party now requested the United Foreign Missionary Society to send them a minister of the Gospel, who might reside in the near neighbourhood, but not within the bounds of the Indian reservation. This request, after some time, was granted, and pub- lic worship was performed in the mission house of the establishment. In April 1823, a missionary church was organized, consisting of four men, three of whom were chiefs ; and on this occasion, the con- gregation assembled in the council house. The Legislature of New York rejected a petition presented to them, praying that ministers of the Gos- pel might be permitted to reside on the Indian lands; and at one time the civil authorities of that State en- tirely disbanded and broke up the Seneca Mission. The Indians petitioned the Legislature for redress, and their application was, in the first instance, re- fused; but a second application, in which a large number of their chiefs and warriors joined, was suc- cessful, and the mission was resumed. The school which was established at this station, was of a most promising character, and when transferred to the American Board, consisted of forty-three pupils; but it is believed that no more of the native Indians than the four individuals already mentioned, be- longed to the mission church at that time. 70 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. THE FORT GRATIOT MISSION. The Fort Gratiot Mission, in the Michigan Ter- ritory, was located on the river St. Clair, about one mile below the outlet of Lake Huron ; and when transferred by the Northern Missionary Society, it consisted of one male and two female teachers, and an Indian school of from fifteen to twenty children. The author of this sketch has not been able to ob- tain any information relative to the changes which iiiay have taken place, for the better or the worse, in this mission, during the time, about two years and a half, that it was under the superintendence of the United Foreign Missionary Society. THE MAUMEE MISSION, The Maumee Mission, organized in 1822, by the Board of Trust of the Synod of Pittsburgh, and transferred to the United Foreign Missionary Soci- ety in 1825, was located on the Maumee river, near Fort Meigs, in Wood county, and state of Ohio. This mission was under the superintendence of the Society to which it was transferred, but about seven months ; and probably underwent no changes what- ever, during that period. In giving a compendious view of it, therefore, the writer will avail himself of communications received from the Rev. E. P. Swift, the Secretary of the Board of Trust, relative to the origin of the mission, and to its general state and PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 71 operations, while connected with that Board. The substance of Mr. Swift's statement is as follows : — " The Board of Trust of the Synod of Pittsburgh, after various incipient measures, resolved, at a meet- ing held in Pittsburgh, February 6th, 1822, to insti- tute, in the coming summer, a mission among the Ot- taway Indians, on the banks of the Maumee river. At a subsequent meeting, the Rev. Elisha Macurdy was appointed to repair to the Land-office in Ohio, and enter for the Board, from one to two hundred acres of land, adjoining the Indian reservation ; and from thence proceed to the site of the contemplated mission, and superintend the erection of suitable buildings for their accommodation. After the close of the Sjmod in the Fall, the Board having, during the preceding summer, conferred with and appoint- ed various persons for the intended service, met in the city of Pittsburgh, and with appropriate religious exercises, constituted a mission family, to go to the said Ottaway tribe of Indians. The family consisted of twenty-one individuals ; two of them ministers of the gospel, and two others, teachers for a school in- tended to be opened ; the others, many of whom were females, were to be employed as assistants to the family, the school and the farm. The Rev. Sa- muel Tait was appointed, pro tempore, the Superin- tendent of the mission. After having thus been set apart to their work, the missionary family repaired to their field of labour. A promising school was shortly afterwards opened ; stated meetings were commenced — the missionaries preaching through an 72 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. interpreter — and improvements on the land purchas- ed were undertaken. The Rev. Mr. Tait, having ful- filled his temporary appointment, returned to his people in the spring ; and in September following, (1823,) the Rev. Ludovicus Robbins, then of the Presbytery of Washington, Pennsylvania, having been appointed to succeed Mr. Tait, in July prece- ding, was publicly set apart as Superintendent of the mission, and joined his brethren at the station shortly afterward. One of the preachers and one other individual, did not continue long in connexion with the mission ; but their places were supplied by a physician, (who was also to act as school-master,) his wife, and another female missionary. Up to the Autumn of 1825, at which time the station, on ap- plication of the United Foreign Missionary Society was transferred to that Board, was well sustained — chiefly by the churches witliin the bounds of the Synod of Pittsburgh ; although the Board were, for the whole period, considerably engaged in appoint- ing and sustaining missionaries in feeble Churches, and in new and destitute settlements. "As to the results of the Mission, I could not e;jsily give you particulars ; and besides, you will perceive from the date of the transfer, that the station did not continue under our care long after its operations were fairly commenced. We had a promising school at the station, for the most of the time ; and as far as I can recollect, two or three of its pupils be- came hopefully pious. Through the instrumentality of the missionaries, much good was done to one or PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 73 two infant churches in the white settlements, in the vicinity, which were supplied with the means of grace by them. In the year 1823, the Board ap- pointed the Rev. Robert M. Laird, pastor of the church at P7Hncess Ann, Maryland, as an explo- ring agent, to visit the region of the Upper Lakes, to labour at the Military station at the Sault de St, Marie, Michigan Territory, and to hold consulta- tions w*ith the various tribes of Indians in that re- gion, on the subject of missionary schools, and in general to collect information from various quarters, on all points connected with the tribes, character, number, and wants of the Aborigines of the United States. Mr. Laird spent about nine months in that service, principally labouring at the Military post, and in the garrison. A considerable revival of reli- gion took place among the officers and soldiers, un- der his ministry, and numbers gave credible evi- dence of a change of heart. The Board contempla- ted the establishment of a mission in the region of Lake Superior ; but the proposal and prospect of the transfer of their operatians to New York, led them to defer any further measures at the time.'^ The Missionary Herald for the month of April 1826, furnishes, from a report to which Mr. Swift re- fers, some important information relative to the In- dian school at Maumee. A part of it is as follows : " The number of scholars in the school is thirty- one, of whom seventeen are boys. Six of the pupils are from the Chippeway tribe, nine are Wyandots, three Potawatomies, four Ottawas, four Miamies, 7 74 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. four Shawnees, and one Munsee. Their ages are from seven to twenty-two; one, however, is twenty- seven. Twenty can read the Bible, thirteen write, five are studying arithmetic, four geography, and three grammer." A part of a letter is then given from Mr. Van Tassel, the teacher of the school, of which the following are extracts : — *< Before I came here, I had taught school several years, and I can as- sure you sir, that these scholars excel in writing any w^hite children I ever taught. In short, the children are all making such progress in their studies as af- fords a high degree of satisfaction to their instructors, and we presume that could our patrons and Christian friends witness their docility, their submission to au- thority, and the eagerness with which they listen to instruction drawn from the Bible, they would not feel as if they were labouring in vain, or spending their money for naught. For a few weeks past, the scholars have been exercising their talents in \vi'iting composition, and they frequently hand billets to their teacher and other members of the family.'^ Copies of three of these billets are then given, after which the teacher adds — " Many more equally good have been handed in, but these will be sufficient to give a specimen of their improvement, and show you the state of their minds. They all appear united, cheer- ful, and happy — as much or more so than could rea- sonably be expected, while they are destitute of the benign religion of Jesus. if they could all enjoy this^ we should have a little paradise here below. For this we pray, and for this we beg a special inte- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 75 rest in your prayers to Almighty God, with whom is the residue of the Spirit." Having completed a survey of the missions insti- tuted by the United Foreign Missionary Society, and of those received under its care, it may now be proper to inquire what were the causes which had influence in producing the transfer of all its concerns to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and the consequent dissolution of the So- ciety itself. A heavy debt, contracted by the So- ciety, and which it knew not how to meet, was the principal cause publicly assigned for this transfer, at the time it was made. That this was one cause is not questioned ; but that it was not the only, or even the chief cause, is manifest from the published trans- actions which took place, between the party which made and that which accepted the transfer. The following query was proposed to Mr. Lewis — " Was the want of funds the chief inducement?" In reply he says — " So far as I know this was the only in- ducement. In May 1825, having served the Board faithfully and gratuitously for five years, as their principal Secretary, and finding that my health be- gan to yield under my heavy labours, and having the satisfaction of seeing the Society, for the first time, free from debt ; I resigned my office, in fa- vour of Mr. Crane, and removed my family to the country for the summer. On my return to the city in September, I found, to my astonishment, that the drafts upon the Board, and other expenses, had, in four months, exceeded the receipts, by nearly ten 76 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. thousand dollars; that the Board, as well as the Treasurer, had become alarmed ; that they had de- termined to offer the whole concern to the Eastern Board, on condition that it would assume our debt ; and that Commissioners had gone to lay the proposi- tion before that Board, then in session." Mr. Lewis afterwards says — "I do not assert that the want of funds was the only inducement [to the transfer] but that it was the only one mentioned to me." He then tells the querist that for further information, if desired, recourse must be had to two gentlemen, *' who, he says, I understood were the leading actors in the project of the transfer." These gentlemen have not been consulted ; for if the Society was out of debt entirely, but four months before the transfer; and if the amount of debt, at the time it took place, did not exceed ten thousand dollars ; and if, as we know was the fict, three respectable religious deno- minations were morally bound and even solemnly pledged, to see this debt discharged, it cannot be credited that there were not other, and more power- ful motives, prompting to the transfer, than the fact that the United Foreign Missionary Society owed ten thousand dollars. The avowed and undoubtedly the real reasons, which operated in this concern, are distinctly set forth in the published proceedings of the American Board, at their annual meeting in Sep- tember 1825, and inserted in the October number of the Missionary Herald, of the same year. They are as follows : " In the course of the two first days, the subject PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 77 of amalgamating the Foreign Missionary Society with the Board came several times under con- sideration. A committee, appointed to confer with the Commissioners from that Society, reported, that so far as they had been able to examine the subject, the proposed union is both practicable and desirable. The Commissioners then made statements to the Board, similar to those which they had previously made to the Committee. The reasons which they adduced in favour of a union with the Board were briefly these :* " That the most friendly relations and feelings now exist between the General Assembly and the Synods, and the Orthodox Association of New England : ^'That the spirit of controversy having subsided, the intelligent and candid of the Christian public, are all satisfied, that the same Gospel which is preached in the Middle and Southern and Western States, is preached also in the Eastern States : "That the missionaries of both Societies preach precisely the same Gospel to the heathen ; and that the same regulations are adopted by both, in the management of missions : " That both derive much of their funds from the same churches and individuals ; that the great body * It ought to be particularly noticed, that it is here stated that the following reasons for an amalgamation of the two in- stitutions, were those which were adduced by the Commis- sioners themselves ; and that they were stated, first to a Com- mitte of the Board, and afterwards repeated to the Board itself. 7* 78 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. of Christians do not perceive or make any distinc- tion, between the two institutions ; and consequent- ly do not perceive any necessity for two, and regret the existence of two ; and that many churches and individuals, unwilling to evince a preference for either, are thus prevented from acting promptly, and contributing liberally to either : " That both Societies are evidently embarrassed, and cramped, through the fear of collision and diffi- culty ; and that the agents of both are discouraged, and limited in their operations, by the same appre- hension : " That the objects, principles, and operations of both are so entirely similar, that there can be no good reason assigned for maintaining two : "That the claims upon the churches are becoming so numerous, and frequent, and the necessities of the destitute so urgent, that all institutions are sacredly bound to observe the most rigid economy ; and that by the union, much that is now expended for the support of offices, officers, agents, &c. will be saved for the general objects of the Societies : "And lastly, that the prevailing feeling in the churches demands a union between the two Socie- ties, and will eventually make it unavoidably neces- sary : "After these statements, a committee was appoint- ed to report the terms on which they supposed the union might be formed with the United Foreign Missionary Society. Their report, after much and deliberate discussion, was unanimously adopted by PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 79 the Board, and received the concurrence of the Commissioners from New York.'^ It will be observed, that in the reasons assigned above for the contemplated amalgamation, the em- barrassment arising from the want of funds, is stated as common to both the conferring parties ; and that not so much as an intimation is given, that one party was more in debt than the other, or had experien- ced more difficulty in meeting its engagements. The general reason assigned for uniting the institution, is contained in the specification immediately pre- ceding the two last. The present writer, however, did not then, nor at any time since, believe it to be a well founded opinion, that " The objects, prin- ciples, and operations of both [the conferring par- ties] are so entirely similar, that there can be no good reason assigned for maintaining two/^ He dis- tinctly made known this conviction to Mr. Evarts, then the Corresponding Secretary of the American Board, in an interview had with him on the subject, and plainly intimated to him that many members of the Presbyterian church would be found to be of the same mind with the speaker, and that they never would be fully satisfied till they saw a Foreign Mis- sionary Society established in the church of their preference, founded on its distinctive principles, and exclusively directed by its own members. Still it is not questioned, that those who assigned the reasons recited above, did honestly believe in their truth and validity ; and that some of the concerned are, to the present time, fully of the opinion, that the existence 80 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. and character of the American Board, renders unne- cessary and inexpedient a separate organization in the Presbyterian church. The report of the committee, mentioned in the closing paragraph of the foregoing extended quota- tion, and which was adopted by the American Board, contained five preliminary terms, as con- ditions of the contemplated union, and seven perma- nent terms of Union. Neither of these series of terms can be given in extenso in this limited sketch ; nor, if it were practicable, would there be any use in the insertion of the whole. Of the pre- liminary terms, the second and fourth stand thus : "2. During the interval which must elapse be- tween the present time and May next, the Directors of the United Foreign Missionary Society will make all practicable exertions to replenish its Treasury ; so that should the proposed union take place, the engagements to be assumed by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions may be as few and as small as possible. "4. The Directors of the United Foreign Mission- ary Society will direct the missionaries of the seve ral stations, not to enter on any new measures in- volving expense, and generally to practise the strict- est economy, till the result of this proposed measure shall be known." These articles are quoted, l)ecausc it may be thought that they militate with wliat has been said relative to the debt of the United Foreign Missionary Society. But do they, in reality, con- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 81 tain any thing more than a precautionary measure, which might have been entirely proper, if no debt whatever of the Society had existed ? Still, as the fact was that a debt was known to exist, it is readily admitted that these articles were calculated to prevent its increase, and to provide for its dimi- nution. To get rid of their debt, has not been de- nied to have been one reason why the Directors of the United Foreign Missionary Society were desir- ous to transfer it to the American Board. That it was not the only, nor the chief reason, that their offer was made and accepted, has, it is believed, been fully shown. Of the permanent terms of union, agreed upon by the American Board and the " Commissioners from the United Foreign Missionary Society, the Rev. Dr. Thomas A. McAuley, the Rev. Dr. Wil- liam McMurray, and the Rev. James C. Crane,^' the sixth article was as follows : " 6. The highest judicatories of the Presbyterian church, and of the Reformed Dutch church, will re- commend the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, as a national institution, and enti- tled to the warm support and efficient patronage of the Churches under their respective jurisdictions.^^ This article is inserted, that it may be compared with what was done in relation to it, by the two ju- dicatories to which it refers. The whole action of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church on this important subject, after referring it to a Commit- tee, is embraced in the following short extract from 82 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. their records : — " The report of the Committee on a communication from a Committee of the managers of the United Foreign Missionary Society, was taken up, and after mature deliberation, it was ^'Resolved, That the General Assembly do con- sent to the amalgamation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and the United Foreign Missionary Society. *' Resolved further, That this General Assembly recommend the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, to the favourable notice and Christian support of the Church and people under their care.'^ The action of the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch church, on the same subject, is recorded on their minutes as follows : " Whereas a Committe from the Board of the Uni- ted Foreign Missionary Society, did enter into pre- liminary arrangements, for amalgamating the United Foreign Missionary Society with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions ; and whereas it is expressly declared, that no pledge of support or recommendation to the patronage of our churches, is understood to be implied in the consent of this Synod ; therefore '^ Resolved, That this Synod consent to transfer the interest of the United Foreign Missionary So- ciety to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions." Thus it appears, that the sixth article of the per- manent terms of union agreed upon by the Ameri- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 83 can Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the Commissioners of the United Foreign Mis- sionary Society, was not sanctioned, or agreed to, by either of the highest judicatories of the churches, to which it w^as submitted. Neither of these judicato- ries would consent to recommend, or in any manner recognize the American Board, as "a national institu- tion ;'' nor would either of them declare that this Board was " entitled to the warm support, and effi- cient patronage of the churches under their respec- tive jurisdictions." The Synod of the Dutch church would not so much as recommend the Board, in any manner whatever; and state on their minutes, that it is expressly declaredi that no pledge of support or recommendation to the patronage of our churches, is understood to be implied, in the consent of this Sy- nod to the proposed amalgamation. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian church did go so far as to recommend the Board ; but only in the same manner in which they have recommended several other benevolent institutions and enterprises. The discussion which took place in the General Assem- bly, when the subject of amalgamation was under consideration, has been reported and published by one who was a member of the Assembly at the time, and who took part in the debate which ensued; and as this report assigns some reasons for the course pursued, and shows the state of feeling among the members of the Assembly on the occasion ; and in as much as there have been misapprehensions and erro- neous statements, in regard to this important trans* 84 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. action, it is believed to be proper to insert the brief report referred to ; it is as follows : "The Committee appointed by the Assembly on the application of the United Foreign Missionary So- ciety, of which Dr. Richards was the chairman, brought in this resolution for adoption : " Resolved, That the General Assembly do ap- prove of the amalgamation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the United Foreign Missionary Society, on the terms agreed upon.'''' Dr. Janeway moved to strike out the term which was intended to bind the Assembly to recommend the American Board as a National Society. He as- signed as reasons : 1. That such a recommendation would be ofiensive to other denominations. 2. That if the three denominations embraced by the United Foreign Missionary Society were, sincerely and uni- versally, to act with the American Board, they would not constitute a majority of the religious pub- lic in this country ; and consequently, if the Assem- bly were to denominate them a National Society, they would not speak according to fact, and would dishonour themselves by uttering what was not true. Dr. Alexander suggested the striking out of all the terms; Dr. Janeway was deliberating whether it were expedient to make this motion, and still occupying the floor, when Mr. Z. Lewis, one of the managers of the United Foreign INIissionary Society, and one of the Committee to obtain the Assembly's sanction to the plan of amalgamation, hastily rose by his side PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 85 and made the motion. Dr. Janeway then said, "Mo- derator, I accept that as my motion," and took his seat. The motion was carried ; and thus by a for- mal VOTE all the terms were stricken out of the resolution. Dr. Neil endeavoured to procure a re- consideration of the vote, but failed. Dr. Ely then moved to strike out the words " approve of^^ and to insert the words ''consent to.^^ This motion was carried ; and then the resolution read as it now stands in the minutes of the Assembly : ''Resolved, That the General Assembly do con- sent to the amalgamation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the United Foreign Missionary Society." When an important article in a contemplated treaty, or agreement of any kind, is rejected by one of the negotiating parties, the other party is, of course, released from all obligation to abide by any other of the proposed stipulations. When, therefore, the two ecclesiastical judicatories, to which the per- manent terms of union had been submitted, point- edly rejected the sixth article, and with it, neces- sarily, every thing of which it was the basis in the other articles, the American Board was freed from every moral bond to adhere to any part of the pro- jected agreement. In a word, it became perfectly optional with that Board, to take or to refuse, the proffered missions. The Board chose to receive them; and it is not seen how it could have done otherwise, in consistency with what it had from its origin openly proclaimed. It was its avowed aim, 8 86 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. indicated by its very name, to become a National Institution. But it could not become so in fact, without, at least, possessing the superintendence of the Foreign Missions in the Presbyterian and Dutch churches. Here, then, were nearly all the heathen Missions that had been originated by these churches, now at the offer of the Board, and which, if this Board did not assume them, would certainly be pro- secuted by some other agency ; for they were of too promising a character to admit a thought of their being abandoned. The property, moreover, which they had accumulated, was far more than an equiva- lent for the debts they had contracted. These debts, amounting as stated, to ten thousand dollars, an au- thentic document now before the writer, shows did not exceed the value of the Maumee Mission alone.* * " The Board of Trust of the Synod of Pittsburgh were led, from various considerations, to make additional purchases of land, until, at the time of the transfer, (in the Autumn of 1825) they possessed upwards of six hundred acres, valued at ten thousand dollars. This land, which was recently, if it is not still, in the possession of the American Board, lies immedi- ately adjoining the Wabash and Lake Erie Canal, and as the Indian claims have been now entirely extinguished, it must prove extremely valuable to the Board." — Manuscript state- mentfrom Rev. E. P. Sioift, of the date of Feb. S(h, 1838. "I remember most distinctly to have heard Mr. Evarts say, that his Board had received from the United Foreign Mission- ary Society, such an amount of property as ought to prevent any mention ever being made of the debts transferred, as bein^r a burden." — Qu of at ion from a letter of Rev. Dr. Samuel Miller, dated Jan. Qth, 1838. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 87 The American Board, therefore acted wisely, and in perfect accordance with its own long cherished pur- poses and hopes, in assuming these missions; al- though the terms which the Commissioners of the United Foreign Missionary Society had proposed and agreed to, were not sanctioned but refused, by the judicatories which had a perfect and acknow- ledged right to reject them. It is believed that the only heathen mission in the Presbyterian church, which was not transferred to the American Board, along with those already men- tioned, was one which was under the supervision of the Sjaiod of South Carolina and Georgia ; namely : A MISSION AMONG THE CHICKASAW INDIANS. This Synod, it appears, sometime previously to the transfer, had established a mission among the Chickasaws ; whose country was included within the chartered limits of the states of Mississippi and Ala- bama. The Rev. T. C. Steward was employed for some time as a stated Missionary among these In- dians. A promising school was opened, and consi- derable anxiety was awakened among the Pagans for the instruction of their children. But the want of authentic information prevents the insertion in this sketch of farther details, in regard to this mission ; except that it appears to have been resigned to the American Board in the year 1828. 88 PRESBYTERIAN 3IIS3IONS When the General Assembly re-organized their Board of Missions, in 1S2S, they declared, as has been shown, that it was authorized to conduct Fo- reign as well as Domestic Missions ; and, for a time, both these objects commanded the earnest attention of the Executive Committee. A well qualified ex- ploring Tnissionary to Greece was appointed, and for a short time sanguine hopes were entertained that he would fulfil his appointment. Eventually, how- ever, he declined it, on considerations which were sa- tisfactory to the Committee. An attempt w^as sub- sequently made, to establish a mission among the Chippeway Indians. An exploring agent was ap- pointed, in whose behalf governmental influence was obtained, and who spent more than a year in the ser- vice of the Board. But it was found that the Ame- rican Board, by extending, as was then in contem- plation, the operations of its establishment at Macki- naw, could most advantageously take cognizance of this field of missionary enterprise, and to that Board the field was accordingly resigned. By this time, the prosecution of domestic missions had become so extensive and onerous, that the opinion generally ob- tained, among the friends of the General Assembly's Board, that till a separate institution should be orga- nized in the Prcs])yterian church, for the sole ma- nagement of Foreign Missions, the existing institu- tion would better confine its measures to the Home department; and leave Foreign operations to the American Board, with which a considerable portion of the Presbyterian church was now co-operating. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 89 MISSION TO BUENOS AYRES. It was, for a time, confidently expected by the friends of Orthodox piety in the United States, as well as in Europe, that the Revolution in South America would open a door for the propagation of the Protestant religion; and sanguine hopes were entertained of the happy effects that were speedily to Insult, from the free circulation of the Bible, and the unobstructed labours of missionaries, in that ex- tensive region; in which the Romish superstition had so long and so oppressively prevailed. Time and experience, if they have not entirely blasted these hopes and expectations, have proved that the period at which they are to be realized is yet future. What was done by the Presbyterian church for the propagation of evangelical truth, may be learned from the following extract from the Christian Advo- cate, for the month of January, 1828. The article from which our extract is made, partakes of the de- lusion then prevalent, and is headed — " Jl Presby- tery in Buenos Ayres.^^ The Editor says — '^ We have before us a letter from the Rev. Theophilus Parvin to the Presbytery of Philadelphia, dated 'Buenos Ay res, April 17th, 1827 :' Mr. Parvin was ordained as a missionary by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, in January 1826 ; and since that time has been enrolled as one of the members of that body. About a month after his ordination, he sailed for Buenos Ayres with his wife, a daughter of Mr. 8* 90 PRESBYTERIAN 3I1SSI0NS. Rodney, the American minister, who died at that place. Early in the following April, as appears by the letter before us, he arrived in safety at the place of his destination. Since that time he has been dili- gently occupied in missionary labours. Having de- termined entirely to support himself, a considerable portion of his time has been unavoidably spent in teaching. Soon after his arrival at Buenos Ayres, he received the appointment of ' Professor of Greek and English/ in the University established in that city. This appointment he resigned last Autumn; finding that he could dispense with its emoluments, and desirous to secure more time for ministerial la- bours. His chief reliance for support at present, is on a flourishing Academy which he has established, containing at the last account, about fifty scho- lars. He has also established, in concert with Miss McMullin, who accompanied him from the United States for the purpose, a promising Female Academy, to which some of his attention is devoted. While these institutions afibrd an income adequate to all the wants of his family, they are in fact directly sub- servient to his missionary views. They promote knowledge, and prepare for the reception of evan- gelical instruction. He has preached regularly, first in his Academy, and lately in a large room, selected and fitted up for the purpose. A chapel is greatly needed, and efforts are making to prepare one. The Lord's Supper has been administered three times a year — the first time to eight communicants, the second to six, the third to nine, and the last time PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 91 to thirteen. He has administered the sacrament of Baptism only in three instances. He had, at the time of writing his letter, celebrated marriage six times, A Bible Society and a Missionary Society have been established, which meet monthly. A flourishing Sabbath School, of one hundred and s^ven scholars, is also established — it is well at- tended and increasing. The foregoing statement is derived from Mr. Parvin's communication to the Presbytery, in connexion with a private letter which we have seen from Mr. Torrey. Mr. Par- vin's letter concludes as follows ; ' In conclusion, I am happy in being able to say, that in my academi- cal and clerical labours, I have for the last six weeks, been favoured with the valuable services of the Rev. William Torrey. In consequence of his arrival, and the settlement of the Rev. Mr. Brown, of Scotland, in a village of Scotch emigrants, about twelve miles from the city^ we shall probably find it expedient, as soon as we can receive dismissions from the Presby- teries to which we belong, to form a Presbytery in Buenos Ayres. I have therefore to solicit my dis- mission from your reverend body, with a view to connect myself with a Presbytery to be organized here. The great difficulty of maintaining any in- tercourse with those at home, because of the close blockade of our port, must serve as my apology for not having forwarded, some months since, a commu- nication of a nature similar to the present.'" In consequence of the information contained in the letters above mentioned, the Board of Mis- 92 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. sions of the General Assembly was convened, when two communications from Mr. Torrey, dated August 24th and 25th, were also submitted for considera- tion, by the members to whom they had been ad- dressed. It appeared that Mr. Torrey was very actively and usefully employed in missionary la- bours, but that he needed pecuniary assistance. A^- ter serious deliberation on the whole subject, a mi- nute was made, of which the following is a tran- script : "Letters w^ere read from Rev. Messrs. Parvin and Torrey, at Buenos Ayres, in South America. Whereupon Resolved^ That two hundred dollars be allowed for the assistance of Mr. Torrey,^ and that Drs. Janeway, Green, and Ely be a committee to select and recommend a suitable person as a missionary to the same region." The Editor of the Advocate afterwards adds — ^' We are glad to be able to state that the committee appointed for the purpose have the prospect of engaging a promising young mission- ary, to go to the aid of his brethren at Buenos Ay res." Such were the flattering prospects and fond antici- * The sum here mentioned, was carefully expended, in the purchase of clothing for Mr. Torrey, Bibles, and other books for the mission, and some articles of furniture, to aid in fitting up an apartment as a place of public worship. The articles were forwarded and arrived in safety. It is belived that the communicants mentioned above, consisted of the mission fami- ly and other strangers from Britain and the United States. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 93 pations, which were destined to terminate in utter disappointment. A particular detail of the unpro- pitious circumstances and causes which occasioned the unhappy result, it is unnecessary, and would be tedious to specify. The amount was — that no addi- tional missionary could at that time be engaged to reinforce the establishment — the female teacher was disappointed in her expectations, and returned to the United States — not long after, Mr. Parvin buried his wife, lost his own health, which he never fully recovered, and returned, with two motherless chil- dren, to his native country — every prospect became increasingly dark — no Presbytery was ever formed — and the mission languished, till it became nearly, if not entirely extinct. Mr. Brown, it is believed, went to Scotland, and afterwards returned, and is now a resident of Buenos Ayres. Mr. Torrey, it is understood, has not long since returned to the Uni- ted States. But the failure of this mission might, and pro- bably would have been repaired, by another, better concerted and arranged, had it not, in its progress, and by similar and simultaneous failures of other missionary bodies, shown conclusively, that the causes of disappointment were deeply seated, in the state of society and the habits of the people. In a word, the engrossing concerns and scenes of a re- volutionary state, the prevalence of infidelity among men of station and liberal knowledge, the general and total ignorance of the nature of religious liberty, 94 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the strong remaining influence of bigotry and super- stition in the mass of the people, cherished by the deadly hostility to reformation of the larger part of the popish priesthood, rendered it indubitable that changes for the better must be the work of time, be produced by gradual advances, and by the im- provement of an ignorant and deeply depraved popu- lation. It was matter of painful regret to many Presbyte- rians, both lay and clerical, that for several years in succession, the church of their preference, although both large and wealthy, had in its distinctive charac- ter, no part whatever, so far as the heathen were con- cerned, in carrying into effect the Saviour's parting command to his disciples, "to teach all nations — to preach the Gospel to every creature." There seem to have been three sections, or classes — not to de- nominate them parties — in the Presbyterian church, that differed in their sentiments, relative to the most eligible method of prosecuting Foreign Missions — all admitting that the duty of sustaining them was important, and obligatory on all Christians. One of these classes considered an ecclesiastical organiza- tion, if not essential, yet of such moment, that they would countenance no missionary institution that was otherwise constituted ; and therefore would con- tribute nothing, or very little, to the American PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 95 Board.^ A second class agreed with the first, in thinking that an ecclesiastical organization was clear- ly the most scriptural, and in every view the most desirable. Some of them even declared, that they were penetrated with grief and shame, at seeing the Presbyterian church so regardless both of duty and reputation, as to neglect to form, and zealously and effectually maintain, a missionary establishment of her own ; and they affirmed that they did believe the frown of Zion's king was resting, and would con- tinue to rest on this Church, so long as she continued disobedient to his express command. Still they maintained, that till the Presbyterian church could be roused to proper action on this important subject, for which they declared they would never cease to pray and labour, it was far better to co-operate with the American Board, than to remain wholly inactive, and do nothing in the great cause of evangelizing the world. They remarked, that although the Ameri- can Board was a secular institution in its corporate * When the spirit of missions was first awakened in this coun- try, by what had been done and was still doing- in Britain, few had any digested and systematic opinions on the subject. The desire was to promote missionary effort, in any way that appeared practicable. Hence it happened, (as in such cases it will al- ways happen,) that examination, experience, and observation, led many to change both opinion and action, in regard to the conduct of missions. No inconsiderable number of those who for a time contributed to the American Board, changed their views, and became unwilling to patronize any institution of a missionary kind, which had not an ecclesiastical organization and responsibility. 96 PRESBYTERIAN 3IISSI0NS. character, and was brought into existence by the agency, and for the special accommodation of con- gregational and independent churches, yet, for the present, all its concerns were conducted by men of decided piety ; that their missionaries also were emi- nently good and devoted men, and that among them were numbered some of the youth trained at our own Theological Seminaries; that the measures of the Board were, for the most part, prudently taken and well conducted; that its liberality was such as to enrol several Presbyterians among its corporate, and many among its honorary members ; and that God had crowned the missions of this Board with great success. These things considered, the Presbyterians of this class avowed their determination to co-ope- rate, cheerfully and zealously, with the American Board, till an organization which they could fully approve, should be formed in their own Church. Accordingly, those of this class who were members of the Board, often attended its annual meetings, and took an interested and active part in all its proceed- ings ; contributed, and encouraged others to contri- bute liberally, to its funds ; countenanced and assisted its agents; often advocated its cause in Synods, Pres- byteries, and congregations; voted in the General Assembly in favour of recommending it to the kind- ness and patronage of the Churches ; and manifested toward it every act of friendship in their power, short of taking part in any measure for formally as- sociating the Presbyterian church with it, as one of its integral and constituent parts ; for to this, they PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 97 declared they were decisively and irreconcilably op- posed.* The Southern . Board of Foreign Missions, com- posed of the Synods of South Carolina, Georgia, and East Tennessee ; and the Central Board, formed by the Synods of Virginia and North Carolina, and both auxiliary to the American Board, appear to have acted on the general principles of this second class of Presbyterians — differing, perhaps, in some shades of opinion. Both these Boards are now looking forward to the period, when, in consistency with existing engage- * Many individuals of this second class, and probably of the first also, besides the preference which they gave to an ecclesi- astical organization, were deliberately of the opinion, that the union of the whole Presbyterian church with the American Board in missionary concerns, would create a body too large for useful action, especially when they looked forward to the magnitude it would acquire in a short time to come. They thought that the American Board was already as large as it ought to be ; and that the Presbyterian church, if united, would make another body of magnitude sufficient to act with the great- est advantage. This opinion is strongly reinforced by a publica- tion of the Baptist missionaries at Serampore — the result of long experience, and close observation. With much in the same strain, they say : " To those who carefully weigh the sub- ject, it will be evident, that there must be limits, beyond which a missionary body can scarcely go, without almost wholly losing its nature, and managing its concerns in quite a secular manner ; and when this is the case, the genuine missionary spirit evaporates, and with it the hope of any extensive suc- cess." See " Thoughts on the propagation of Christianity more effectually among the Heathen.'''' 9 98 PRE&BYTERIAN MISSIONS. ments, they may formally and fully co-operate with the Board of Foreign JNlissions of the Presbyterian church. There was a third class of Presbyterians, who were fully of the opinion that no separate organization was either necessary or expedient in the Presbyterian church; that every dictate of duty, interest, and a regard to economy, in the expenditure of money col- lected for missionary purposes, urged to a formal union, or amalgamation of interests and action with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions ; and that the General Assembly ought to adopt the most decisive measures, and use all its in- fluence, to bring out the whole strength of the Pres- byterian church, in support of the measures and ope- rations of that Board. The}^ pleaded, that a large proportion of the Presbyterian population was ar- dently attached to this Board, constantly received and highly prized its publications, contributed cheer- fully to its funds, and would be better pleased with a formal connexion with it, than with any other mea- sure or arrangement that could be adopted, in regard to this subject. Many of those who composed this class, if not complete Congregationalists in senti- ment, had strong congregational leanings; and others, whose opinions were more strictly Presbyterian, thought that there ought to be no objection to a full concert in action, with a Board in which there were so many members both of the clergy, and the laity, of their own denomination. — If good was done, they thought it a matter of no importance, whether it PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 99 were done by a secular or an ecclesiastical organi- zation. It was this class of Presbyterians that attempted, in the General Assembly of 1826, to obtain the adop- tion of all the terms which had been agreed upon with the American Board, by the Commissioners of the United Foreign Missionary Society, when a transfer was to be made of the concerns and pro- perty of the latter Board to the former. In this at- tempt, it has been seen, they failed. The attempt, however, was renewed in 1831; when a Committee of conference with the American Board was appoint- ed, with direction to report to the General Assembly of the following year (1832). This report was madie accordingly, and contained a long and elaborate state- ment, setting forth the many reasons and considera- tions, which should induce the General Assembly, as the representation of the Presbyterian denomination, to enter into a formal agreement to co-operate with the American Board, without attempting any other organization for the prosecution of Foreign Mis- sions; and endeavouring to obviate the objections which might be urged against such a measure.* But the Assembly again acted as they had done in 1826. *The writer was present when this report was read, and it commanded all his attention. Not being able to obtain an in- spection of the report, he has been obliged to make the state- ment of its purport from memory. In preparing most of the statements of this sketch, he has had his authorities before him ; and has felt regret whenever it has been otherwise. 100 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. The short minute adopted on the subject, is as fol- lows : "Thursday morning;, May 31. — The report was taken up, and after some discussion, the following resolution was adopted, viz : " Resolved, That while the Assembly would ex- press no opinion in relation to the principles con- tained in the report, they cordially recommend the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to the affection and patronage of their Churches.'^ Thus it appears that till 1S36, there was never a General Assembly in which the friends of a formal union of the Presbyterian church w4th the American Board had influence enough to obtain an act of the supreme judicatory, in favour of such a measure. Nor indeed was such a measure formally adopted by the Assembly of 1836; although what was actually done, was calculated, and probably intended, to make the Presbyterian church entirely subservient, in its missionary concerns, to that Board. Of the three classes of Presbyterians that have been mentioned, the two latter, it appears, co-ope- rated cheerfully and liberally with the American Board, during the period in which there was no missionary organization in the church of which they were members. To this co-operation, a portion of the efficiency and extensive success of the American Board ought, in justice, to be attributed. Its amount, it would be difficult to calculate, and the plan of this sketch, does not require that an estimate should be PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 101 attempted. The praise of all success belongs to God alone, whatever instrumentality he may use and hon- our in its production. The present writer has always commended the wisdom generally displayed, in the plans and operations of that Board, and the zeal and indefatigable perseverance with which they have been executed. Till the formation of the Western Board of Foreign Missions, his mite of influence and pecuniary contribution was given to it ; and he has never ceased to pray for its success, and to rejoice in its usefulness and prosperity. ( 102 ) THE WESTERN FOREIGN MISSIONARY j SOCIETY. I I In the month of November 1S31, the Synod of | Pittsburgh — always the most forward and active Sy- | nod of the Presbyterian church in missionary enter- ' prise and effort — formed the Western Foreign Mis- ! sionary Society. The origin^ and the general nature and design of this Institution, may be learned from the following extracts from the Circular letter, issued immediately after its formation, and from the first \ four articles of its Constitution. Havino; declared I • I that the Society " did not originate in any feeling of jealousy or dissatisfaction with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions— ^in any de- sire to diminish its resources or impair that measure of public confidence which it certainly and justly en- I joys" — the Circular proceeds as follows : | "As there is much diversity and fluctuation of opi- | nion in the General Assemblies of our church, as to , the propriety of undertaking Foreign Missions at all, or in union with Domestic, it is conceived that no existing Board does, in fact, fill that place which is \ here proposed, and which seems requisite to a com- plete enlistment of the charities and prayers of the i whole Presbyterian church, in the great and glorious I work of Missions to the heathen. The practice of j designating those who are to watch over her in- ; PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 103 terests, and dispense her charities through her regu- larly constituted judicatories, has so long existed in the Presbyterian church, and is so interwoven with her form of government, that its absence from such stated plans of evangelical effort as the Missionary cause presents, does very naturally produce dissatis- faction and lukewarmness in some, and an almost entire neglect of the great object in others. Such, accordingly, has been the fact, to a great extent, in the Middle and Western States, and nothing but a plan which recognizes the church, in her very or- ganization, as a society for Missions to the heathen, and which presents such a kind of Presbyterial re- presentation, and supervision, as gives an ecclesiasti- cal responsibility to her agents, can, it is believed, ever fully bring up her Presbyteries and churches ' to the help of the Lord against the mighty/ The obvious want of such an arrangement, felt more deeply here than in some other parts of the Pres- byterian church, led the Synod of Pittsburgh, at its late sessions, to move in this business ; partly from the belief that, under existing circumstances, it would be better for some Synod which could be nearly or quite harmonious in its measures, to undertake the plan, than for the General Assembly to attempt it ; and partly from the conviction that a central loca- tion would better suit distant parts of the country, and that this, near one of the Theological Seminaries of the church, and yet unembarked actively in any great public enterprise, would, at least for a time, an- swer a better purpose, especially for Western Mis- 104 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. sions, than any other. Aside from such a degree of Synodical supervision as seemed necessary to the very existence of such a society, you will see by examining the accompanying constitution, that it is strictly a Presbyterial arrangement, and gives the management of the whole concern to those from whom the resources are to be drawn. It aims at uniting those portions of the Presbyterian church which prefer such a plan of operation, in a new, earnest, and persevering endeavour, to fulfil the duty which we owe to the heathen of our own and foreign lands; and of imparting to our church judicatories as such, a due sense of responsibility, and such a Mis- sionary impulse as these eventful times imperiously require. If the undertaking, owned and blessed of God, meets the friendly consideration of our church- es and Presbyteries, it will be subject to their con- trol, and can, if they wish it, be transferred, as to the centre of its operations, to whatever part of the church they please. In the mean time, dear bro- ther, let us be up and doing. We are anxious to despatch, if possible, this very year, a Mission to Central Africa, or some still more eligible unoccu- pied field on the Eastern continent; and we ^vould be glad at the same time to institute a PVeste7*?i Mis- sion, so soon as we may be able to make a judicious selection of the best opening for such an effort.'' PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 105 CONSTITUTION. "Article 1. This Society shall be composed of the Ministers, Sessions, and Churches of the Synod of Pittsburgh, together with those of any other Synod or Synods, Presbytery or Presbyteries, that may hereafter formally unite with them, and shall be known by the name of the Western Foreign Mis- sionary Society of the United States. " 2. The objects of the Society shall be to aid in fulfilling the last great command of the glorified Re- deemer, by conveying the Gospel to whatever parts of the Heathen and antichristian world the provi- dence of God may enable this Societj?- to extend its evangelical exertions. " 3. The centre of its operations shall be the city of Pittsburgh, at least until such times as the Board of Directors shall judge that the interests of the cause require a change of location, which, however, shall never be efiected without the consent of the Synod of Pittsburgh ; and in the event of such a change, then the special provisions of a Synodical supervi- sion and representation, mentioned in this constitu- tion, shall be transferred to the General Assembly, or to that particular Synod within whose bounds the operations of the Society shall be concentred. " 4. The general superintendence of the interests of this Society shall be confided to a Board of Di- rectors, to be appointed in the following manner, to wit. The Synod shall elect, at the present time, of 106 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. persons residing in Pittsburgh and its vicinity, six Ministers and six Ruling Elders, whose terms of service shall be so arranged that those of two Minis- ters and two Ruling Elders shall expire at the end of one year, and two of each at the end of two years, and the remaining two at the end of three years, and the Synod shall ever after elect annually one-third of this number, or two Ministers and two Ruling El- ders; and in the event of a renewal of the charter of the Western Missionary Society, so amended as to meet the present objects of this Society, then the said twelve persons herein mentioned shall consti- tute, for the time being, the trustees and legal repre- sentatives of the Synod; to fulfil the duties of such trust in the manner which may be specified in the said charter. 2. The Synod shall also elect one Minister and one Ruling Elder, from each of the Presbyteries now composing this body, the one half, or four Ministers and four Elders, to be chosen for two years, and the remaining four for one year, but after the expiration of the term of service for which they shall be severally chosen, this election shall de- volve upon the Presbyteries respectively; and the same right shall be extended to any Presbytery or Presbyteries, which may hereafter be formed within its bounds. 3. And whenever any Presbytery or Presbyteries belonging to other Synod or Synods, shall become regularly united with this Society, by vote and actual contribution to its funds, every such Presbytery shall be entitled, in like manner, to the right of appointing one Minister and one Ruling El- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 107 der, to serve for the term of two years, leaving it to the Board of Directors so to fix the two classes as that the change for each and every year shall be as nearly as possible equal to the others; and these per- sons so appointed shall constitute a Board, to be styled the Board of Directors of the Western Fo- reign Missionary Society, and the said Board shall meet annually in the city of Pittsburgh, on the Tuesday preceding the second Thursday in May, at 3 o'clock P. M. and oftener on the call of the President, at the request of the Executive Commit- tee, or on that of any three other members of the Board. The election of the Board of Directors shall be made by ballot, and in reference to those to be chosen by the Synod, the rule shall be, after the first election, to make a nomination at least one day pre- vious to that on which the choice is to be made/' The remaining four articles of the Constitution re- late to the details of the Society — the choice of a President, of a Vice-President, of honorary Vice- Presidents, and honorary Directors, of a Correspond- ing and Recording Secretary, of a Treasurer, and an Executive Committee, and the prescription of the du- ties of these officers and agents severally. The Society, when first organized by the Synod, consisted of twenty-eight directors ; and they imme- diately chose a President, Vice-President, an Execu- tive Committee, consisting of five clergymen and four laymen, with a Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. The Board also, agreeably to an autho- rity granted in the Constitution, elected at the first 108 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. meeting, fifteen honorary Vice-Presidents, and thir- teen honorary Directors. It is due to the Rev. Elisha P. Swift, the first Cor- responding Secretary of this Society, to state, that its origin is to he traced, principally, to his ardent zeal in the missionary cause, and to his views of the im- portance of an institution organized in the manner exhibited in the foregoing documents. He submit- ted his ideas to his brethren of the Synod, by whom, after due deliberation, they were adopted. He draughted the Constitution and wrote the circular letter, and on him, under the direction and cheerful co-operation of the Executive Committee, rested the principal burden of labour and efibrt, in carrying into effect the plan of the Society. He resigned for this purpose the pastoral charge of a congregation, between whom and himself a strong and tender at- tachment existed; and devoted all his time and facul- ties to give activity and efficiency to the infant insti- tution. Destitute of funds, it threatened for a short period to languish; but it soon received a quickening impulse from the liberal donation of a thousand dol- lars from Walter Lowrie, Esq.,* then the Secretary of the Senate of the United Slates. This donation * This donation was made in a manner wliich, for a conside- rable time, left the donor unknown. But the secret could not ultimately escape detection ; and as it is no longer a secret, the writer has thought it right and proper to record this act of libe- ral ity — without the knowledge of Mr. Lowrie — in this histori- cal sketch. ''^^ PllESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 109 equalled in amount the annual salary of the Corres- ponding Secretary, and was appropriated by the donor to that object ; thus freeing him from all im- putation of seeking emolument for himself, while he earnestly solicited pecuniary contributions to the funds of the Society. A few extracts from the life of the Rev. Joseph W. Barr, by the Corresponding Secretary of the So- ciety, published in March 1833, will give a general view of the operations of the Society, during the first year of its existence. After a narrative of the pro- ceedings of the Synod of Pittsburgh in the organiza- tion of the Society, the Secretary says : " The Board of Directors then appointed, constitu- ted immediately after the rising of Synod, and chose an Executive Committee, by which regular monthly meetings have been ever since held. The Committe, in their first Circular, expressed the determination to undertake the establishment of a Mission in Western Africa, as soon as circumstances would permit; and the subject was laid before Societies of Inquiry on Missions, in the Theological Seminaries of Princeton and Allegheny-town. Communications were soon after received from Mr. John B. Pinney, of the Theological Seminary at Princeton, and Messrs. John C. Lowrie and William Reed, of the Western Theological Seminary, offering to place themselves under the care and direction of the Executive Com- mittee, as missionaries to the heathen. * * * * During the summer, Mr. Pinney, whose mind had been strongly inclined to an African Mission, be- 10 110 PRESBYTERIAN 3IISSI0NS. came anxious to have an early period designated, at which the undertaking might he expected to com- mence; and on being apprised that this would be done as soon as a suitable fellow-babourer could be provided for that field, he submitted the solemn question to the consideration of one who was known to have devoted himself to the work, and who pos- sessed peculiar qualifications for such an underta- king ; this person was Mr. Joseph W. Barr." " The present state of this infant society, to which a number of Presbyteries, besides those originally included, have given the promise of their efficient co-operation during the past year, may be, in part, learned from the subjoined statement of its mission- ary arrangements : MISSIONS OF THE SOCIETY. " Since its organization, the Board has received under its care, seven missionarses, besides two or three assistants, intended for the western mission. These have been distributed in the following manner : "1. To Western Jlfrica, two. Rev. Messrs. John B. Pinncy and Joseph W. Barr. " 2. To Northern India, three. Messrs. John C. Lowrie and William Reed, two of these brethren, are expected to sail from this country for Calcutta, about the 1st of May. " 3. To the Indians west of the Mississippi, two. One of these brethren is expected to proceed, in PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. Ill company with some other person, during the ensu- ing summer, to the site of the proposed establish- merit, and make preparations for the reception of the other members, in the following autumn. " To Western and eventually Central Jifrica, this society has from the beginning looked, as one of the principal fields of its intended operations. To that benighted land it consecrated its first efi'orts: and all the information which has been since re- ceived, has but tended to increase its desire to draw, in a special manner, the attention of American Chris- tians, and of young men devoted to the cause of mis- sions, to that long neglected and interesting part of the globe." Keeping in view the compendious nature of this work, the several missions of the Society now in contemplation will be noticed, in the order in which they were sent out; and the history of each will be continuously sketched, till the first meeting of the Board in October 1837. MISSION TO WESTERN AFRICA. From the above quotation it appears that Central Africa was contemplated, as ultimately the principal field in which this mission was expected to operate; and where probably its chief seat would be located. In order to this, however, it was necessary that the Society should have an establishment on the western coast, to which its supplies might be sent, by which a communication might be kept up with the Society at 112 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. home, and where the missionaries destined to the in- terior might reside, till their acclimation should have taken place. Such were the original views of the So- ciety; views which are not yet relinquished, notwith- standing the severe trials with which God, in his holy sovereignty, has seen meet hitherto to exercise the faith, patience, and perseverance of his people. JVIessrs. John B. Pinney and Joseph W. Barr, w^ere, as already stated, the first missionaries desig- nated to Africa. They were both from the Theolo- gical Seminary at Princeton, and both made a volun- tary offer of themselves for this hazardous mission. They were ordained together, October 12th 1832, by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, specially called for the purpose. Their beloved professors, Drs. Alex- ander and Miller, by invitation of the Presbytery, took the principal parts of the ordination service, which was numerously attended in the sixth Presby- terian church, and pervaded by a deep solemnity. The vessel in which they were to go to Liberia, was to sail from Norfolk in Virginia, about the close of the current month. Thither, therefore, a few days after their ordination, they hastily repaired, having taken a most solemn and affecting farewell of their Philadelphia friends, in a public meeting called for the purpose. They arrived in Norfolk on the 23d of October, and found that the vessel in which their passage was taken, would not sail till the 5th of the following month. In the intervening days, with a view to promote the interests of the mission, Mr. Barr visited Richmond and Pctersburgh. Having PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 113 made arrangements in the latter place for a public missionary meeting, to be attended by himself on a Tuesday, he returned to preach at Richmond on the preceding Sabbath. But the time had arrived at which he was to preach no more. A friend who was with him in his last hours, wrote and published an interesting account of his death, from which our limits will permit us to give only the following ex- tracts : " At nine o'clock on Saturday night, he was appa- rently in perfect health. — We passed the evening with him, in company with a few friends of mis- sions, who felt deeply interested in the enterprise on which he was about to embark. He was slightly in- disposed, as he afterwards stated, when he retired to his chamber for the night. About one o'clock, he was taken violently ill of cholera. Able physicians were immediately called in, and the usual remedies administered; but in vain — his Lord and Master had called for him. The progress of his disease was so rapid as to baffle the efforts of medical skill — and at 3 o'clock on Sabbath afternoon, he was released from his sufferings, and admitted, we trust, into the rest which the Lord has prepared for his people. " It will be consolatory to liis distant friends, and to the young ministers who were recently his fellow students, to know that he appeared to be perfectly resigned to this mysterious stroke of Providence. Though his heart, filled with compassion for the pe- rishing, was fixed on the v/ork of missions in Africa, to which he had dedicated his life — yet he was wil- 10* 114 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ling to leave it and to die. He discovered no alarm at the approach and near prospect of death. The summons, though sudden and unexpected, did not find him unprepared. On being asked by the writer concerning the state of his mind, he expressed with earnestness his confidence in God and submission to his will, adding — " the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.^' Here rested his hope, on the Rock of Ages — and it sustained him in the hour of trial. He repeatedly expressed the same unshaken trust in the Lord, to other Christian brethren, w^ho attended him during his short illness. Death to him was a vanquished enemy. In the near view of eternity he could pray in the language of the apostle — ^* Even so, come Lord Jesus." Mr. Barr was a youth of great promise, and sel- dom has a death been more lamented than his. It left his beloved missionary brother, Mr. Pinney, without a companion for the Africui Mission, and rendered it questionable whether it were expedient, or even law- ful, for him to go alone, on the perilous enterprize in which both had embarked. But having waited till the month of January following, without any one of- fering to accompany him, and all his arrangements for departure being made, his zeal in the cause in which he had engaged determined him to embrace an opportunity which offered, and to sail for Liberia — in hope that his unaided efforts might prove an en- couragement and prepare the way for others to fol- low him. After a prosperous voyage, he arrived at Monrovia on the 16th of February, 1833. He re- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 115 mained in Africa about four months ; and during this period he made an exploring excursion into the inte- rior, as far as a native prince, through whose country he had to pass, would permit him to proceed. At the commencement of the rainy season, he found that his necessary inactivity in Africa during its continu- ance, would be more expensive than a voyage home ; where he might be active in preaching, and in endea- vouring to obtain associates in his missionary labours. He arrived in Philadelphia in the month of July, and his motives for return were approved by the Execu- tive Committee of the Board. By information re- ceived from him, the Committee were enabled to se- lect two stations, whose relative situations, both as to the colony and the interior nations, would afford great facility for disseminating the Gospel in Africa. A few days before the arrival of Mr. Pinney, Messrs. John Cloud and Matthew Laird, who had been previously received under the care of the Board, as candidates for the missionary service, were desig- nated as a reinforcement to the African Mission. After spending some time in visiting the Churches, these missionaries, together with Mrs. Laird and Mr. James Temple, a young man of colour under the care of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and who had been received as an assistant, were regularly or- ganized as a missionary body in New York, in Octo- ber ; and sailed from Norfolk for Liberia, on the 6th of November following. About the same time, mis- sionaries from two other societies in our country, were appointed to repair to the western coast of that 116 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. benighted continent. Mr. Pinney, shortly before his embarkation with the other missionaries, re- ceived from the Board of Managers of the American Colonization Society, the appointment of temporary Agent and Governor of Liberia ; and after consult- ing with the Corresponding Secretary and other friends of the Society, it was judged best that he should consent to act in that capacity, till a permanent agent could be obtained. He accordingly performed the duties of Colonial agent for a time, expressing his earnest hope that other arrangements might soon be made by the Colonization Society. The ship Jupiter, in which the missionaries em- barked, arrived at Monrovia on the 31st of Decem- ber (1833), after a passage of fifty-six days. The missionaries were enabled, soon after their arrival, to rent a suitable tenement for their accommodation, during their stay in Monrovia, and all the members of the mission soon experienced, in succession, the attacks of the African fever. In most instances, the fever in the past winter had been uncommonly mild, and much fewer cases of mortality had occur- red among the emigrants than in former years; from which it was hoped that the missionaries, most of whom had experienced more than one return of the disease, would have little to fear from any future at- tack. But these cheering prospects of a safe and easy acclimation, and the expectation of an uncom- monly healthy season in the colony, were but the precursors of a mortality which thinned the ranks of the emigrants, while it almost entirely extinguished PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 117 the hope of the two important missions which had lately arrived. Mr. Cloud, unwilling to lose time by unneces- sary delay, and anxious to ascertain the prospects at Cape Mount, a place one hundred and fifty miles up the coast, before the arrangements of the mission were finally made, resolved, (too soon it would ap- pear after his recovery,) to embrace an opportunity then ofiering, to embark on board a vessel going up the coast. The heat of the weather — the detention of the coaster by adverse winds — an incautious ex- posure to night air, and the yet debilitated state of his health, brought on an early relapse, which, in the absence of needful medicines, of even a toler- ably comfortable place in sickness, or a kind friend to attend him, soon prepared the way for cholera morbus, and the transition of this to a malignant dysentery. When the vessel returned to Monrovia, on the 8th of April, after an absence of ten days, he was found unable to walk or stand, and his physi- cian, soon after, pronounced it impossible to arrest his malady. During the few days of his survival, Mr. and Mrs. Laird, with a kindness and solicitude which nothing could surpass, waited night and day around the bed of their beloved associate; and he had no sooner expired than it was found that the fa- tal malady had transferred itself, with undiminished violence to them. Mr. Laird was first attacked, and his wife, though a woman of no ordinary faith and fortitude, sunk before the prospect of another victim, so soon to be made in the person of her husband. 118 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. She expired on the third of May ; and on the day following, her husband closed his eyes in death. When it was known among the native tribes around Monrovia, that the voice of those kind and devoted friends, who had come to them with the words of eternal life, was to be heard no more, they are said to have exhibited a regret as solemn and striking as it appeared to be sincere; and who, that considers how often the light of hope for this un- fortunate people has but reached the shores of Africa, and then died away, can avoid a heartfelt sympathy in these touching expressions of a conscious bereave- ment ? Of these three courageous and devoted ser- vants of Christ, this is not the place to speak at large. All that can be added is, that they carried with them from their native shores the esteem of all who knew them, and entered upon their perilous undertaking with great apparent desire to live and suffer for the good of the heathen ; and that they met the early and beclouded end of their enterprise, in the possession of a calm and cheerful anticipiation of immortal felicity. Soon after the decease of Mr. Laird, Mr. Temple withdrew from the mission and returned to the United States ; while Mr. Finney, temporarily ful- filling the duties of Colonial Agent, and still re- solving to resume and prosecute the missionary work, remained at his post, amidst the most ap- palling scenes of dispersion and death, among those who had accompanied him on his i^turn to Afri- ca. After having conferred important good upon the colony by the judicious fulfilment of the duties PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 119 of Colonial Agent, he retired from that office and re- sumed his missionary labours. In the September following, he was joined by Mr. J. F. C. Finley, who had repaired to Liberia to become a superinten- dent and teacher of native schools; and they soon after proceeded to erect a comfortable mission house at Millsburgh, and open a small farm for the use of the mission — on which a supply of coffee, lime, grove, and orange trees, and also of cassada, sweet potatoes, plantain, and banana, were planted. Short- ly after, however, these two brethren, exhausted by disease, and no longer able to prosecute their la- bours, embarked for the United Sates ; having sus- pended all further efforts for the present, and left the mission premises and property in Millsburgh, in trust, with the Baptist missionaries, by whom the house has since been occupied. From the departure from Africa of Messrs. Pin- ney and Finley, in an early part of the summer of 1835, till the month of December following, the Western Foreign Missionary Society was destitute of a single African missionary. Mr. Finney indeed was still living, and still expressing his willingness, should his life be spared and his health restored, to return to the field of his painful and hazardous la- bours. But his constitution was so shattered that his ultimate restoration, to such a degree of firmness as to warrant the resumption of his former situation, was exceedingly problematical ; and it may here be added, that although his health is considerably im- proved, it is still questionable whether he ought ever 120 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. again to risk an exposure to a climate which repeat- ed trials have demonstrated, that he cannot encoun- ter, without the most imminent peril of his life and usefulness. In the autumn of 1S35, Mr. Ephraim Titler, a co- loured man, who had resided for some time in Libe- ria, and who, with his w^ife, had been employed, un- der the auspices of Mr. Pinney, in teaching a school of native Africans near the Tunk river, -was re- ceived as a missionary by the Western Board. He had previously spent nearly a year in the United States, employing as much time as he could com- mand, in acquiring the knowledge which might qua- lify him to receive license to preach the Gospel. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, with an express reference to his return as a missionary to Africa, in the month of September 1S36. He sailed from Wilmington, North Carolina, on the 31st of December following, in a vessel chartered by the American Colonization Society, with a number of emigrants to Liberia, and arrived in safety at Monro- via, in the following February. He was instructed to commence his labours at Boblee, a station selected by Mr. Pinncy, as having every Aicility of access to tlie natives, and owing to its elevated situation, affording the best prospect of health. He has located himself at that place, agreeably to his instructions, and ac- cording to communications received from him, with fair prospects of success. In closing the gloomy account of this African Mission, it is believed that particular attention is due PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 121 to what is said on the subject, in the fifth and last report of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, made in May 1837 — it is as follows : " It is the intention of the Executive Committee as fast as they can procure suitable and educated co- loured men, to strengthen and enlarge this mission. The employmont of coloured men, for building up the Redeemer's kingdom in Africa, the Committee now believe, has not been sufficiently attended to by the churches. Their own inost painful experience, in the loss of their first missionaries ; the lamentable loss of lives, among the missionaries of other socie- ties, and particularly of that noble institution, the Church of England Missionary Society, whose per- severing and untiring efforts in behalf of Western Africa exceed all others, have brought the subject of some other agency strongly before the Committee. Of their own missionaries sent to this field, but one survived, and he was forced to return in feeble health ; and of the German Mission to Liberia, all died or returned. The number of missionaries and teachers, sent to Sierra Leone by the Church of England Missionary Society, including chaplains sent by the government, from IS 12 to 1830, was forty-four men and thirty-five women. The aggre- gate of time all these lived in that colony was 208 years; giving as an average two and one half years to each ; and more or less of that period, was a time of severe sickness. A few returned home, but even then their labours were equally lost to the mission. The average of two and one half years, 11 122 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. as the life of a missionary, is a very painful subject of contemplation; but another view is even more so. Of these seventy-nine devoted men and women. Jive only lived from twelve to seventeen years — ten from five to eight years — thirteen from two to three years, 2ii\(\ forty -four died the first year. How important for every Missionary Society to profit, by such painful and distressing experience of their own and sister institutions. " Now in the providence of God, an agency every way suited for the wants of Africa exists among us, and in the bosom of the Church. The constitution of the coloured men of the Southern States, has no- thing to apprehend from the climate of Africa. If the friends of our Society at the South, will select pious, suitable men, it will be the duty of the Committee to have them brought to the North, and see that they are properly educated. The result of this course, in a few years, would be a full supply of pious, educated, and qualified missionaries, for this long discouraging field ; and with the blessing of God, Africa "redeemed, regenerated, and disenthralled," would stretch forth her hand to Him. What Chris- tian heart would not rejoice to see degraded, perish- ing, bleeding Africa, a nation scattered and peeled, for centuries the prey of the man-stealer and the murderer, rising from her long desolations, and re- joicing in the knowledge of redeeming love. " No missionary society in the United States, can bring this agency into action, with more advantages than the Foreign Missionary Society of the Presby- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 123 terian church ; and the Committee would most ear- nestly entreat their friends, and especially the pastors and elders of the churches, to assist them in carrying into efficient operation, the very important principles here suggested." MISSION TO NORTHERN INDIA. This mission was projected, as has been seen, at the very origin of the Western Foreign Missionary Society; and Messrs. John C. Lowrie and Wil- liam Reed, were the first missionaries that offered their services to the Society, to be employed in In- dia — although the African Mission was sooner capa- ble of being organized, and sent forward to its field of operation. In narrating the transactions relative to this and the remaininor missions of the Western Foreign Mission- ary Society, the best general view may be presented, by abbreviating the authentic statements contained in the several annual reports of the Society itself. This plan will accordingly be pursued, with only such oc- casional departures from it as may be found indispen- sable. The following quotation is taken from the se- cond Annual Report, read and adopted at the annual meeting, May 6th 1834 : "The last Annual Report stated, that the Rev. Messrs. JVillia?n Beed and John C. Lowrie, with their wives, were expected to leave this country in a few weeks afterwards, to commence their contempla- 124 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ted mission in Hindostan. Arrangements were ac- cordingly made for their embarkation in the ship Star, of the port of Philadelphia, in May last. Ne- ver, it is believed, was the mind of the Christian public in that city, more deeply interested in the fo- reign missionary enterprise, than during the pre- sence of the mission there, and the religious exerci- ses which were connected with their final departure from it. The closing meeting will long be remem- bered by many, as well from the peculiar circum- stances which tended to give effect to it, and the di- vine influence which seemed to pervade it, as the early and lamented removal of that excellent woman, who then, for the last time on earth, participated in the exercises of the sanctuary. This little band finally bid adieu to their native land, and the ship Star put to sea on the 30th of May, and arrived at Madeira on the 24th of June following. The tem- porary abode of the missionaries at that fertile and lovely spot in the ocean, tended not only to mitigate the fatigues of a long sea voyage, but somewhat to recruit the strength of Mrs. Lowrie, whose health had begun to be so far impaired, during the last few weeks of her residence in this country, as to threaten a confirmed pulmonary affection. The voyage was resumed on the 15th of July, and the Star arrived in the port of Calcutta on the 15th of October. The change of air incident to her passage into the south- ern hemisphere, and severe gales in doubling the Cape of Good Hope, appeared, the Committee regret to state, to confirm all the fears which had been en- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 125 tertained as to the character of Mrs. Lowrie's illness, and from that period she began gradually to waste away, so that before the arrival of the Star in port, all hopes of her recovery w^ere blasted. " The mission was received at Calcutta with every mark of respect and affection, and to the Rev. Wil- liam H. Pearce especially, will they and their friends in this country feel long and deeply in- debted, for the hospitality and kindness which were shown them. They were immediately taken into his family, and amidst the assiduous and affectionate attentions of Mr. and Mrs. Pearce and their friends, Mrs. Lowrie lingered until the 24th of November, when she expired ; and from his hospitable mansion her mortal remains were borne to the house appoint- ed for all living. To her deeply afflicted husband, thus early bereft of a partner in a strange land, to the other two surviving members, to the Society and the cause of missions in India, the death of this amiable, intelligent, and devoted woman, must be regarded as a very severe affliction. Her desires to devote her- self to the spiritual good of the heathen were fervent, and her qualifications for the station were, to human view, uncommon ; but He, for whose glory she left her native land, and bore her feeble, exhausted frame half round the globe, was pleased, doubtless for wise reasons, to disappoint her earthly hopes, and to re- quire her earthly associates, a few short weeks after their arrival, to consign her to the dust, there to pro- claim, as she sleeps in Jesus on India's distant shores, the compassion of American Christians for its mil- 11* 126 PRESBYTERIAN 3IISSI0NS. lions of degraded idolaters; and to invite others from her native land, to come and prosecute the no- ble undertaking in which she fell. " The Committee were led, from the information which they had previously obtained, to direct these brethren to seek some eligible position in the nor- thern provinces of Hindostan, as the field of their la- bours ; but they were authorized to make a different selection, if, on arriving in India and consulting with the friends of missions at Calcutta, it should be found expedient to do so. " After mature deliberation, and taking the advice of many judicious and well-informed counsellors, they came to the conclusion that the original desig- nation of the Committee was decidedly the best, va- rying from it only in the selection of an adjoining province, somewhat further to the north-west, and inhabited by a people less bigoted in their attach- ment to Paganism. Besides this feature in the reli- gious character of the people — their docility and de- sire to become acquainted with the English language — the comparative healthfulness of that part of India — its entire destitution of missionary instruction — and its proximity to, and commercial intercourse with, Afghanistan, Cashmere, and Thibet, extensive and populous regions as yet entirely unoccupied, are all considerations of importance, and going to show the propriety of the selection. *^ Lodiana and Umbala, the two cities in La- hore, which have been mentioned as the two best positions, are, both of them, distant probably more PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 127 than one thousand miles from Calcutta, and nearly as far from Bombay ; but as measures are now in pro- gress to open the navigation of the Indus and its tri- butaries, and as Lodiana stands on the navigable waters of the Sutledge, one of its principal branches, and as there is now a plan on foot for a steam com- munication from Bombay to England, through the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, this part of India, and especially Lodiana, may eventually become of more easy and frequent access to us than Calcutta itself. " Of the climate, and government, and inhabitants of the province of Lahore, it is stated that it consists of two parts ; the one of which is the mountainous tract in the north-east, stretching south and east from Cashmere; and the other comprising the low and flat tracts near the south of the Sutledge, called the Pun- jab. The former has a climate much resembling that of middle Europe, but is thinly peopled in compari- son to the other, which is by far the most produc- tive, though less salubrious. It comprises a territory of seventy thousand square miles, and a population of four millions, and is said to contain many fine villages and some large towns ; but those of the latter, with the exception oiAmrister^ the holy city of the Seiks, are in a declining condition. Lahore is under the government of a native prince, by the name of Run- jeet Singh, formerly one of the most formidable ene- mies of the Anglo-Indian government, but now on terms of friendship with it. 128 PRESBYTERIAN HUSSIONS. " The political changes which have recently taken place in respect to Inda, the increasing desire of per- sons of distinction among the natives to give their children an English education, and the disposition of the constituted authorities to encourage the settle- ment of educated and intelligent missionaries in all parts of that country, are to be regarded as truly aus- picious circumstances. " The brethren readily obtained permission of the Governor General of India, to reside in the province which they had selected ; but as the season least fa- vourable for making the journey was about to com- mence, and as they could spend the intervening time profitably in the study of the language, they had con- cluded, on consultation with their friends in Calcutta, to remain in the vicinity of that city until June next. They express, and that repeatedly, the hope that ad- ditional missionaries may be speedily sent out to join them ; and the decease of one of their valued mem- bers, and the importance of the fiield itself, give great force to this solicitation. The Committee are happy to say, that they have it in prospect to send a reinforcement in the course of the ensuing autumn. In the meantime, it would bo highly useful to pro- vide for that station, a printing press to be sent out from this country, with the view of obtaining a fount of type in the Punjabee at Calcutta; and charts, maps, and globes, and other apparatus, for the High School which the mission intend speedily to estab- lish, would be extremely serviceable. ' If one hun- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 129 dred additional missionaries could be sent out,' there would be, say these brethren, ' an abundance of work to employ them all.' " The following quotations are from the Third An- nual Report, of May 18 1835. " Our last Report left its three surviving members, viz., the Rev. John C. Lowrie, Rev. William Reed, and Mrs. Harriet Reed, in Calcutta, diligently prose- cuting the study of the language of the Punjab ; and making preparations to leave that city for the North of India, as soon as the appropriate season should ar- rive. In the mean time, however, the health of Mr. Reed became visibly impaired, and a bad cough and fever were soon followed by the painful evidences of a confirmed consumption. From this period, the de- cline of this amiable and devoted missionary was so rapid, that all expectation of his being able to labour in India ceased; and after long and trying consulta- tion, and after having obtained the best medical ad- vice, it was resolved that Mr. Reed and his partner should take passage for the United States, while Mr. Lowrie proceeded to Lodiana, to make preparations to commence the mission. "Mr. and Mrs. Reed embarked on t^ie 23d of July, (1834) and on the 12th of August, after a few days of rapid decline, the dying missionary closed in serenity and peace his earthly sufferings, and his remains in the evening of the same day were com- mitted to the watery deep; leaving his bereaved partner in the most delicate and trying circum- stances, to prosecute the tedious voyage on which 130 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. they had just entered. The gratitude of the Board is due to Captain Land of the ship Edward, for his affectionate sympathy and unremitting attention to Mr. Reed while he survived, and to his widowed companion, who reached this country in safety on the 12th of December following. " Mr. Lowrie left Calcutta on the day after this painful separation from his beloved associates, and, at the date of his last communications, had arrived within a few days travel of Lodiana, having ascend- ed the Ganges to Cawnpore, and thus gained by per- sonal observation much useful information, as to the state of society and morals, the customs and religious rites of the Hindoos, the trade and various phenome- na of that far-famed river, and of the scenery, soil, productions, cities, temples, and military stations, along its banks. " In view of the providential reduction of this mission to a single individual, it is cause of unfeign- ed thankfulness to God that the survivor, and the pioneer in the enterprise, should be a man who, by the union of judgment, prudence, and energy, with gentleness, fortitude, and devotedness to the work, is so well fitted for the difficult and responsible situation. " In the beginning of November last, the Rev. Messrs. James Wilson, and John Newton, with their wives, and Miss Julia A. Davis, sailed from Boston as a reinforcement to this mission ; and pro- bably ere this have arrived at Calcutta, from whence, after becoming acquainted with the friends of mis- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 131 sions in that city, and making the necessary prepara- tions, they are expected to proceed in time to join Mr. Lowrie early in autumn. The Rev. J. R. Campbell, of the Reformed Presbyterian church, and the Rev. James McEwen, of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and Mr. David Hull, licentiate of the Presbytery of Northumberland, have since been appointed to the same field, and are exj^ected, in connexion with a physician, and one or two assist- ant teachers, if suitable persons should in the mean time be obtained, to leave this country in October next. If this reinforcement be permitted to reach Lodiana in safety, and not find the force already sent out materially weakened, it is the expectation of the Committee that an additional station, either at Cashmere, Umbala, or some still more promising position, will be soon formed. Through the dis- tinguished munificence of a single individual, an excellent philosophical apparatus for a native high school has already been sent to Upper India, and it is the purpose of the Committee to provide a print- ing-press and apparatus, to be forwarded next fall ; and from the number of young men who are known to have that field in view, and other indications of Providence in reference to it, they are led to believe that these and every other desirable facility for the vigorous and extended prosecution of this mission, should be provided. In view of the disproportion- ate amount of effort which the Committee have al- ready resolved to apply to North Western India, the Board may desire a brief statement of the considera- 132 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tions on which this policy is founded. They are such as apply to Hindoostan in general, and such as respect that part of it in particular. ^^ It is in the contemplation of India, and with it as an instrument, the whole of peninsula Asia, as ap- parently on the eve of a great revolution in its intel- lectual and religious prospects, that we feel a special interest in it as a missionary field. If the train of causes which led to the establishment and the exten- sion of a protestant power in that country, and which will inevitably lead to the far greater extension of its moral influence, develope the singular wisdom of Di- vine Providence, not less so are now the means by which the fearful structure of Budhism is crumbling away. The native press, originally got up to sustain it, is now, through its concessions and flie tone of feeling it encourages, becoming a most powerful en- gine in its overthrow. It now contributes with other means, to weaken prejudices and soften the asperities of bigotry; to excite a spirit of inquiry; and is, with the influence of native schools, creating a thirst for knowledge, and making Christianity a topic of fa- miliar conversation, tending to aid the civil autho- rity in the suppression of those cruelties and excesses, by which superstition maintains its firmest hold of an ignorant and deluded people. The Bramins, it is said, fully expect the speedy termination of all the sanctity of their idolized rivers ; and then, as one of them recently observed, ^ nothing will remain to Hindoos but to embrnce the Christian faith.' If this is the feeling beginning to possess the minds of the PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 133 most bigoted and influential among a population of one hundred and twenty millions, and that in a land which has been the strong hold of Buddism, and at a moment when Burmah, on its border, is also power- fully shaken, w^e may easily see how eventful to the missionary enterprise, is the crisis which it has at- tained. " We, however, proceed to notice the local ad- vantages of Northern India. " In the execution of the Redeemer's commission, no part of the earth, it is true, is to be excepted, on account of the insalubrity of its climate, or the de- gradation or the ferocity of its population. Still, at every stage of the progress of its evangelization, it is proper, other things being equal, to prefer loca- tions of less moral or physical obstruction, to those which have greater. The intense heat and periodi- cal winds of the day, and the extreme humidity of the atmosphere, in the wet seasons of Hindoostan, have always made almost every part of it a precari- ous and very often a fatal abode, for both Anglo and American emigrants ; although the cold is doubt- less considerably greater in these upper provinces, than in other parts of India. Burns found the heat so great at Lahore, Lodiana, and Moultan, that in the month of June, the thermometer stood at 100% even in the shade of a Bungalow artificially cooled. The chief consideration, therefore, in favour of this field, is its proximity to some of the most elevated and salubrious posts in Asia. Simla, a place of considerable resort for sanitary purposes, which at- 12 134 PUESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tains an elevation of 7800 feet above the level of the sea, and where, according to captain Mundy, the thermometer in May or June never rises higher than 72°, and never sinks lower than 55°, is but 100 miles from Lodiana. Roopur and Subathu are still nearer, while Umbctla, which has been some- times mentioned by our brethren for a second posi- tion, approaches still closer to the base of the Asi- atic range. If, in securing these advantages of lo- cality, we have receded several hundreds of miles into the interior, ordinarily precluding frequent communication, and requiring a long and expen- sive journey, it is to be recollected that 1000 miles in the navigation of rivers destitute of every obstruc- tion, will bring the trade of the Punjab, as high up as Lodiana, to the ocean, on the line of the intended thoroughfare from India to Europe — not less than 2000 miles nearer the latter than Calcutta itself. " Apart from the fact that the opening of the In- dus and its tributaries to an active commerce by steam communication, now in contemplation, and the concentration of a considerable trade from Thi- bet and Tartary, through the defiles of the mountains, carrying back into these benighted regions the arts and religious light of Christian nations, it is to be ob- served, that the political ascendency of the power- ful chief of the Seik nation, already makes the Punjab the most safe and convenieiit entrance into Cabool, Bokara, and Western Persia. In these countries, it is true, the Moslem faith, in a milder form than in Western Asia, has long prevail- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 135 ed ; but it is believed that Christianity would even now be tolerated, as Hindooism is ; and Burns states that while travelling in these infrequented countries, he gathered from the conversation of the Mohamme- dans of Cabool and Persia among themselves, that there existed among them a prediction that Christi- anity was speedily to overturn the entire structure of their faith. The Scriptures have been translated into the Mongolian language — a language spoken by many tribes, from the shores of the Baikal to the borders of Thibet, and from the Caspian to the gates of Pekin, including millions in the Chinese empire ; and if our society should eventually establish a mis- sion at Selinga, Kiatka, or some other spot under the protection of a Christian power, in Asiatic Russia, and another on the borders of China or Tartary, on the great thoroughfare from Pekin to Tobolsk and St. Petersburgh, these two remote positions would stand towards each other, and the great plateau of Central Asia, in the most interesting and powerful relation." The following extracts are from the Fourth Annual Report, made in May 1836. <^ This mission at present, consists of fifteen indi- viduals, comprising five ordained ministers of the Gospel and three candidates for the ministry, and possessing two printing presses, a philosophical ap- paratus, and a good library. The Committee rejoice in being able to state, that since the last Annual Re- port, the operations of the Mission to India have been attended with the continued marks of the di- vine favour. The lives of all the missionaries have 136 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. been preserved, and the health of the Rev. John C, Loivrie, the only one of them who has been seri- ously indisposed, has not materially changed during the year. Rev. James Wilson and John Newton, with their partners, after a prosperous voyage, ar- rived at Calcutta in due season, and remained in that city, as was expected, until the 24th of June last, when they proceeded by w^ater, on their way to the Upper Provinces. During their stay, and on their protracted voyage up the Ganges, they were all blessed with good health and spirits ; at the last date of intelligence from them, they were proceeding, by land, from the river to Lodiana, where they proba- bly arrived early in December last. Miss Julia *d. Davis, who accompanied this reinforcement, as an assistant to the mission, was induced, some time after her arrival at Calcutta, and with the concurrence of our brethren, and the friends of the missionary cause in that city, to form a matrimonial connexion with Rev. John Goadby, of the English General Baptist Mission at Cuttack ; and in consequence, withdrew from her connexion with this Board, with the hope, it is believed, of being enabled, with greater pros- pects of usefulness, to prosecute the work for which she left her native land. " Our missionary brethren appear to have met with great kindness and hospitality, at all the stations and British settlements, on their way up the Ganges, and to have experienced a growing conviction of the importance of India missions, and the desirableness of a great enlargement of our operations in that country. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 137 <'Mr. Lowrie having, in compliance with a spe- cial and repeated invitation from the powerful sove- reign of the Punjab, made an excursion to the court of Lahor, conferred with the government on the subject of education, and visited some of the princi- pal cities and other objects of interest within its ter- ritory; and having spent the dry season at Simla, in what is familiarly called the Hills, or Hill Pro- vinces, and made several tours of observation during the summer, for the purposes of information as well as of exercise and change of air, has thus collected an amount of knowledge which may prove highly use- ful to the cause of missions. " In education, agriculture, and morals, Mr. Low- rie found the population of the Maha Rajah, Ranjet Singh, consisting of Sikhs, Hindus, Mussulmans, &c. much like other parts of Hindoostan. This terri- tory was originally divided among a number of inde- pendent Sardars, who now acknowledge the sway of this powerful Chief. But on the termination of his life, now considerably advanced, it is supposed that things will revert to their original condition; and^ the whole eventually fall, as other portions of India have done, under the direction of the British power. "A considerable part of the country through which Mr. Lowrie passed, is neither fertile nor densely populated; but the vicinity of the capital was covered with luxuriant wheat and fine gardens, extremely fertile, and adorned with the beautiful mango and tamarind trees. Amritsir, the seat of Sikh learning and devotion, the resort of pilgrims, 12* 138 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. and the site of a beautiful and picturesque sacred re- servoir, is important also, as the commercial empo- rium of the Punjab, and the mart of the fine fabrics of Cashmere; and may thus be regarded as the most eligible position in Labor for a missionary station, whenever our operations in that quarter shall de- mand a selection. The result of Mr. Lowrie's ob- servations, however, would seem, for the present, to give a decided preference to the population of the Hill provinces, as, in some respects, more likely to be benefitted by missionary efforts, and as possessing a climate more favourable to the health of missiona- ries. The people are less attached to caste than those of the Plains, and to those immoral habits and customs which so extensively abound in India; being simple in their habits and modes of life, devo- ted to agriculture, and combining a larger share of industry, uprightness, and thoughtfulness of charac- ter. The natural productions of the soil, and conse- quently the staple articles of subsistence, correspond also much more with those of our own country ; and this fact, while it might promote both the comfort and the health of our missionaries, would enable them to transfer to this simple-hearted people, and introduce among them, many of the improvements in agriculture and horticulture which exist in their native land. " In November last, a second reinforcement, con- sisting of Rev. James McEiven, of the Associate Reformed Synod ; Rev. James R. Campbell, of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian church, with PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 139 their wives ; and Messrs. William Rogers and Jo- seph Porter, graduates of Miami University; and Mr. Jesse S. Jamieson, graduate of J-efferson Col- lege, with their wives, sailed from Philadelphia, in the ship Charles Wharton, for Calcutta; and, at the date of the last advices, these ten brethren and sis- ters, with Rev. Messrs. Winslow and D wight, and their wives, of the American Board, were all in good health, and expected to reach their destined port about the first of March last. Neither of the three last named brethren of this reinforcement had prose- cuted a regular course of theological education, before leaving this country; though each had completed his academical course with uncommon respectability, as to scholarship and correct moral and religious de- portment. From information previously received, and of high authority, the Committee were led to believe that these brethren, by spending a few of the first years of their missionary labours as teachers, in the higher departments of education in India, might promote the great object of its evangelization, as ef- fectually as any other ; and that, while an entrance upon these pursuits, fresh from the studies of an aca- demic education, and with a view to enter the holy ministry as soon as they should be prepared for it, and the progress of the mission might demand it, would bring them more speedily into active service, it would not materially affect their prospective use- fulness as ambassadors of Christ to the heathen. " Two printing presses and fonts of type, as well in the Roman character as that of the principal Ian- 140 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. guages of the Northern Provinces of Hindoostan, have in the mean time been sent forward ; and Mr. Reese Morris, of Philadelphia, a practical printer, with his wife, has been accepted as an assistant in the mission, and is expected to repair to India with the next rein- forcement. In the intervening time, provision has been made to employ the service of printers on the spot, and a very considerable portion of the expense of this part of our establishment in India will be de- frayed, by the publication of a paper about to be es- tablished by the British agent at Lodiana. On the ar- rival of this reinforcement at the station, it is expect- ed that the missionaries, after all due inquiry and observation has been made, will so divide and ar- range their forces as to occupy one or two additional positions. " The Rev. Mr. Lowrie, having suffered conside- rably from impah'ed health during most of the time of his residence in India, and having been advised by his physicians to return and spend a year or two in this country, received some months ago from the Committee permission to do so, and, if no material change should have since occurred, his return to the United States may be anticipated during the course of the present year." From the Fifth and last report, of JNIay 1S37, the following interesting extracts are taken. " This most extensive of tlie missions of the So- ciety has continued to enjoy the protection and bless- ing of God. The only adverse circumstance is the return, on account of ill health, of the Rev. J. C. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 141 Lowrie, as intimated in the last report. Mr. Lowrie left Locliana the 20th January, 1836. When he ar- rived at Calcutta, it was found to be impracticable to obtain a passage direct to this country, and he was obliged to return by way of England. He arrived at New York the 2Sth December last. Since that time he has visited a number of the churches, mak- ing known the wants of the heathen, of whose perish- ing condition he has been an eye witness. Should his health be restored, it is his settled purpose to re- turn. "The second reinforcement mentioned in the last report, consisting of Messrs. McEwen, Campbell, Rogers, Jameson, Porter, and their wives, reached Calcutta in safety on the 1st of April. At Madras they parted with the Rev. Messrs. Winslow and Dwight, Missionaries of the American Board, who were their companions in the voyage, and to whom they had become strongly attached in the bonds of christian love and friendship. The joint labours 6i these brethren, on the voyage, were greatly blessed to the officers and sailors of the ship. "On landing at Calcutta, these brethren were greatly encouraged by meeting Mr. Lowrie. With his assistance they were soon accommodated with lodgings; and on the 27th June they commenced their voyage up the river. On the 1st November they had nearly reached their destination ; with the exception of Mr. McEwen, who stopped at Allaha- bad, with the intention of remaining there till spring. " The Rev. Messrs. James Wilson and John New- 142 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ton, occupy the station at Lodiana. Besides the usu- al missionary labours, they have under their care the school first established at that station, by the British Political Agent, Capt. Wade, but afterwards trans- ferred to the care and direction of the mission. Capt. Wade is still its efficient patron, and the school at present gives high promise of service in the cause of the Redeemer. It consists of between forty and fifty youth, most of them from the first families. In this school every thing which human means can provide is afforded, for raising up an edu- cated and qualified native ministry; and the com- mittee ask their fellow Christians to join with them in daily prayer, in pleading the promise of the Sa- viour (Luke xi. 9 — 13) for the gift of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of these youth. At this station are two printing presses belonging to the Society. *' Besides Lodiana, two other stations, Subathu and Saharunpur, have been selected, to be occupied by the last reinforcement. "Subathu, distant 110 miles north-east from Lodi- ana, is situated on the lower elevation of the Hime- lah mountains, 4000 feet above the level of the sea. Between the snowy ranges of these mountains and the plains of India, there is an intervening tract of country, having an average breadth of "about 60 miles, which, though mountainous in its character, is yet capable of cultivation to a considerable extent. A district in this hilly region, 200 miles in length, with a population 250,000, is under the control of the East India Company. Subathu is one of their PRESBYTERIAN 3IISSI0NS. 143 military stations and is considered an eligible point, in regard to health, communication with other places, and general convenience, for commencing the system of effort by which the Gospel is tp be established over those mountain tribes. " Saharunpur, distant 130 miles south-east from Lodiana, 100 miles north of Delhi, is situated within 20 miles of Hurdwar, that great rendezvous of pil- grims from all the surrounding nations. The annual fare at Hurdwar, is attended by hundreds of thou- sands of all classes ; and hitherto, with the exception of a few transient visits of a single missionary from Delhi, satan has had the undisputed possession of this great field to himself. No place affords more advantages for the dissemination of the Sacred Scrip- tures and religious publications, than the fairs at Hurdwar. From this point they will be carried into the surrounding countries, and to all parts of Nor- thern India, and even to the tribes beyond Cashmere, inhabiting the high table lands of Central Asia. " The committee expected to have sent, early in the Spring, to this important field, four additional missionaries. The Rev. Henry R. Wilson, Jr. and Mr. Reese Morris, Jr. a printer ; and from the Re- formed Presbyterian Church the Rev. J. Caldwell and Mr. James Craig, a teacher. But owing to the want of funds, this reinforcement has been postponed till the coming Fall. To it will then be added the Rev. J. H. Morrison." It may be proper to add here, that agreeably to 144 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the intimation given above, these missionaries sailed for India in October 1837. " At I^odiana there are residing at present, under the protection of the British Government, two exiled kings from Afghaunistan, who have their followers with them, to the number of 2000 or upward. There are also more than 3500 Cashmerians residing at that station, and many at other towns in Upper India, who were driven from their native valley by famine, and by the oppression of their rulers. They are employed in manufacturing the fine fabrics for which their country is so celebrated, and they retain the language and the usages of the tribe of the Hindu fa- mily to which they belong. Owing to the residence of these people at the principal missionary station, every opportunity is afforded of learning the lan- guage of those countries, and among them making known the way of forgiveness of sins through the risen Saviour. The opening of Divine Providence, in thus bringing such large portions of two nations who have never heard of Christ to the very door of missionary operations, w^is too plain to be neg- lected. One of the brethren of the next reinforce- ment will be appointed a missionary to Cashmere ; and another of them to Afghaunistan. Until they have learned the respective languages, these brethren will reside at Lodiana, and in every w^ay endea- vour to promote the best interests of those to whom they are sent. " Mr. Morris will take charge of the printing PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 145 presses, and the two other brethren will occupy Um- bala, Sirhind, or some of the other stations in the vi- cinity. " The foregoing relation of facts and circum- stances, if there were no others, shows the impor- tance of this region as a missionary field ; but the half has not been told. " It is a ground of no small encouragement, that here at least a protestant mission has been planted, in advance of the missionaries of the pope of Rome. Here too are the missionaries within a short distance of the hilly country, to which the sick and the inva- lid, without leaving missionary ground, may resort for health. On the west is the large and populous kingdom of the Punjab ; with a population very similar to that among which the present stations are placed. On the borders of the Punjab are Cashmere and Afghaunistan, those keys to the tribes inhabiting Central Asia. North and north-east from Lodiana, in the valleys stretching far into the recesses of the Himelah mountains, are numerous tribes of Hindoos, not more remarkable for their industry than for their quiet demeanour, the simplicity of their habits, and the almost imperceptible change which time has made upon their national customs. Stretching far to the south-east, between the snowy mountains and the plains, embracing the secondary range of the Himelah mountains, is the kingdom of Nepaul. On the south is Rajpootana ; and on the south-west, on both sides of the Indus, are tribes and people like the others, ^ having no hope, and without God in 13 146 PRESBYTERIAN iMISSIONS. the world. ^ In all these populous nations, the bless- ed Saviour, and life and salvation through his name, are unknown. Not a single missionary of the cross is there; and the people are sitting in the region and shadow of death. In view of this entire destitution of the bread of life, what Christian, in his daily pray- er of ' Thy kingdom come,' will not bear before the mercy seat the youth now under a course of Chris- tian instruction, in the very centre of these regions, thus covered with the pall of death. for the time! when the Church will ^ with one accord' plead for those blessings, without which all will be in vain. But to assist in thus training up a native ministry, and above all to preach the Gospel, whom will the Committee send to say to them, ' Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world?' And where are the individuals and the churches, who will support those now waiting, and the others who, from time to time, are offering themselves wil- lingly to this blessed work ?" Thus it appears that the Mission in Northern In- dia occupies four stations, viz : 1. LoDiANA. — Rev. John Newton, Rev. Henry R. Wilson, Jr. Mr. Joseph Porter, Mr. Rees Morris, Jr., and their wives. The Rev. John C. Lowrie, on a visit to the United States. At this station is the High-school, in a state of much promise, containing fifty-eight scholars; a fe- male boarding-school just commencing; and a prin- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 147 ting-press, with founts of English, Persian, and Gur- mukhi type. As this is at present their principal station in Northern India, the Rev. Henry R. Wil- son, Jr., and Mr. Reese Morris, Jr., Printer and Bookbinder, who have recently left the United States, are to be stationed there, with the large prin- ting-press now in India. 2. SuBATHU. — Rev. James Wilson, Mr. Wm. S. Rogers, and their wives. Mrs. Wilson has an interesting school of Gurkha girls. It is uncertain that they will continue their attendance ; so far the prospect is encouraging. 3. Seharunpur. — Rev. James R. Campbell, Rev. J. Caldwell, Mr. Jesse M. Jameson, and their wives. At this station is a boarding and common school, supported by the Juvenile Missionary Society of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church in Philadel- phia. Mr. Campbell is a Minister in connexion with the Reformed Presbyterian Church. 4. Allahabad. — Rev. James McEwen, Rev. John H. Morrison, Mr. James Craig, and their wives. As this is an important station, the Rev. John H. Morrison, and Mr. James Craig, who have recently sailed for India, were instructed to join it. At this station is a large boarding-school, which, for want of funds, the Executive Committee were 148 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. obliged to reduce to twenty scholars. A printing- press will be wanted there the ensuing year. Mr. Craig is a member of the Reformed Presby- terian Church, as is also the Rev. Joseph Caldwell ; the whole amount of his outfit, passage to India, and support for one year, have been provided by that church. MISSION TO THE WESTERN INDIANS. The Synod of Pittsburgh, at their annual meeting in October 1833, adopted the resolution to sustain The Western Foreign Missionary Society, *' in at- tempting the immediate supply of every unsupplied and accessible tribe of the Wstern Indian Reserva- tion, with the means of grace;" and they were greatly encouraged in this benevolent purpose, by the favourable disposition of the General govern- ment at that period, in regard to the civilization of the aborigines of our country. In execution of the resolution passed by the Synod, the Society, in the following summer, engaged the Rev. William D. Smith, one of the two missionaries then under the direction of the Society, to undertake an exploring mission through the Indian territories w^est of the Mississippi. He accordingly spent most of the sum- mer in visiting and conferring with the Shawnees, Delaware 5, Kickapoos, Kansas, Ottawas, Weas, lo- was, and Omawhaws ; and the results of his explora- tion were approved by the Executive Committee. It was finally determined to select the Weas, as the PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 149 tribe among whom operations should be commenced; and arrangements were made to despatch a mission to that station in the month of November following. Accordingly on the 4th of that month, the Rev. Jo- seph Kerr and the Rev. William Bushnell and their wives, with Miss Nancy Henderson and Miss Martha Boal, were duly organized as a mission fami- ly, and shortly after set out for the place of their destination. After experiencing some disasters in their journey, one of which became the accelerating cause of such a state of impaired health, in respect to Miss Boal, as made it necessary to leave her on the way. The missionaries arrived at Independence, a town in the state of Missouri, about forty miles east of the Wea village, on the 21st of December; and they concluded to pass the winter there. They did so, occasionally visiting the Indians and making preparations for the commencement of more regu- lar labours in the spring. They preached to those whom they visited, by an interpreter ; and obtained much useful information relative to their state and characters. Mr. Henry Bradley^ a young man whom the Committee had accepted as an assistant in the agricultural department^ was sent on with sup- plies to the mission, in the spring. The Wea In- dians are a small tribe ; but they at once manifested a disposition to receive and treat the missionaries with respect and kindness ; so that during the first summer and autumn after their location, besides erect- ing a school-house, finishing their own dwellings, and making preparations to till a small farm, they 13* 150 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. opened a school for the children of the natives, and collected the Indians for public and social worship, as often as circumstances would permit. Miss Hen- derson opened and taught an infant Indian school ; and Mr. Kerr and his associate prosecuted their re- spective labours with great diligence. At the forma- tion of a Temperance Society, although at first some- what discouraged by the reluctance manifested by many of the Weas to give the pledges of total ab- stinence, they were subsequently agreeably sur- prised, when two of the tribe, not formerly present, came forward, without solicitation, and requested their names to be entered. The following extracts are taken from the Fourth Annual Report : " The Mission to the Wea Indians is located in the eastern border of the reserved tract allotted to the emigrant Indians ; and may be properly said to comprise two stations, about four miles distant from each other. Our excellent missionary. Rev. Joseph Kerr, and Messrs. Lindsay and Bradley, with Mrs. Kerr, Mrs. Lindsay, and Miss Henderson, comprise the present members of the mission. During the last summer, the schools were fuller and better at- tended than at any former period, and the prospects of usefulness flattering. " The Weas, though not numerous, are an interest- ing people, and have uniformly manifested a disposi- tion gratefully to receive instruction ; and this mis- sion has, during the last year, enjoyed special tokens of the divine favour. Besides a growing and very PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 151 encouraging attention to the means of grace on the part of the Indians, and visible improvement in their morals generally, our brethren have been rejoiced to witness the manifestations of the special influences of the Holy Spirit. Early in the last winter, it pleased the Allvvise Disposer of events suddenly to remove by death, one of the most promising of the young men of that tribe, under circumstances which gave encouraging evidence to the missionaries of his inte- rest in Christ. More recently, a church has been organized, to which five native converts have been admitted, and fifteen or twenty more are supposed to be the subjects of religious impression. One of the native converts, a man advanced in years, with locks whitened with age, burst into tears, and indeed into loud weeping, as, in the act of receiving the ordi- nance of Christian baptism, he publicly submitted himself to the authority of Jesus Christ ; and these events, taken collectively, seem to have produced a general excitement among the whole of that tribe of Indians; some becoming warmly enlisted in behalf of the mission, and others aroused to resist its pro- gress. Speaking of one of the oldest and most vene- rable chiefs of that tribe, and in connexion with a small prayer-meeting held at the mission house, Mr. Kerr states, that, after each had led in the devotions, old Kernassa knelt down and ofiered an apparently fervent supplication in his own language, on the very spot where, one year before, he lay upon the floor in a state of stupid and helpless intoxication. The pro- gress of reformation and of saving conversion to God 152 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. among these unhappy remnants of our border tribes, must necessarily be connected with many formidable obstacles; and we are not surprised that our mission- ary brethren, with these pleasing indications of suc- cess in their benevolent work, begin also to experi- ence the opposition of the more debased part of the natives whom they are striving to turn to God. From the Fifth Annual Report we take the fol- lowing quotation : "The Wea tribe of Indians have greatly profited by the labours bestowed upon them. A church con- taining ten native members has been formed in the wilderness, and the hearts of the missionaries have been encouraged by thus early seeing the blessing of God on their labours, among this solitary, degraded, and neglected people. " Since the commencement of the mission, the Rev. Joseph Kerr and his wife have been at this sta- tion. The time of Miss Nancy Henderson was divi- ded between the Weas and the loways. During the last year the health of Mrs. Kerr was so reduced by sickness, that, in the opinion of her physicians, no- thing but a change of residence and climate gave the least hope of recovery. Early in the winter, while her husband remained among the Indians, she re- turned to her father's. But the change has not re- stored her health ; and owing to her continued ill- ness, Mr. Kerr has been induced to ask a dismission from the service of the Society, which has been granted. He will remain at the station, till the rein- forcement lately sent out arrives. On the 14th of PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 153 March Mr. Henry Bradley and his wife, and Mr. James Duncan, left Pittsburgh for the Wea Mission Station. Miss Henderson, who, during part of the winter had been on a visit to her sick mother, since deceased, will join them the first suitable oppor- tunity. THE IOWA MISSION. ^* The Iowa Mission comprises but one station, es- tablished among a considerable division of the tribe of that name, about eighty-five miles from the Weas. It consists at present of Mr. Ji. Ballard and wife, and Mr. E. M. Shepjjard. Two or three schools were sustained during most of the last summer (1834); and when the missionaries have found it impractica- ble regularly to assemble the children together, they have spent most of each day in going from lodge to lodge through the village, and giving to their pupils in each family their stated lessons, accompanying them with suitable instructions to the parents and other members of the family. The lowas, like other tribes, have been much addicted to the excessive and ruinous use of ardent spirits. But the mission has already been highly serviceable in arresting the pro- gress and diminishing the evils of this vice ; and the missionaries have been a good deal encouraged, by the apparent desire on the part of many to be brought to the knowledge of God. " During the last year, Mr. and Mrs. Ballard have devoted their whole time to the loway Indians. 154 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. Miss Henderson during part of the summer was en- gaged teaching the children. Great difficulties were experienced on account of the uncertainty of their residence. Under an arrangement made by the go- vernment, the lowas will remove this spring from their present location, to the south of the Missouri river, where 400 sections have been assigned to them and the little band of the Sacs of the Missouri, between the great Nemahaw and the northern boun- dary of the Kickapoos. The mission family have been instructed to accompany them, and as their home is now considered permanent, the difficulties growing out of an uncertain and temporary residence will cease. On the 14th of March Mr. Samuel M. Irvine and his wife left Pittsburgh, to occupy the new station with Mr. and Mrs. Ballard. " From information which they have been enabled to obtain, the Committee believe that the policy of of the Board in the establishment of missions among our Western Indians, should contemplate a speedy extension of its efforts to those more numerous and distant tribes, which reside near the sources of the Missouri and its tributary waters. Those people are far less debased and contaminated, by the borrowed vices and bad example of our frontier settlements. They are comparative strangers to the use of ardent spirits ; and many of them, it is understood, arc well inclined towards the great objects of missionary ef- fort." Thus it appears that the mission to the Western Indians consists of two stations ; which, by the last PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 155 statement of the Corresponding Secretary, stand as follows : 1. We A Station. — Rev. John Fleming, Mr. James Duncan, Mr. Henry Bradley, and Mrs. Bradley. The Church at this station consists of twelve na- tive members, and a number of others seriously inquiring the way to be saved. 2. Iowa Station. — Rev. William Hamilton, Mr. Aurey Ballard, Mr. Samuel M. Irvine, and Miss Nancy Henderson. During the last year, this tribe sold their land to the United States, and have received other land in exchange. They have removed, and are now set- tled, permanently it is expected, at their new home. MISSION TO SMYRNA. This mission is not at present in operation. It seems proper, however, that the substance of the statement relative to it, contained in the last Report of the Society, should be inserted in this Sketch — it is contained in the following extract : " The Rev. Josiah Brewer, and Mr. Thomas Brown, a printer, and his wife, as mentioned in the last report, sailed from New York the 28th of March, 1836, and arrived at Smyrna in May follow- ing. They took with them a printing press, and a set of book binder's instruments. During the last 156 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. winter the Rev. Wm. McCombs, and Mr. John McClintock, and their wives, were set apart for this field of labour, and expected to sail in the first vessel leaving the United States. When this re- inforcement were on the eve of their departure, Mr. Brown was found, very unexpectedly, to have re- turned to this country, having left the station without apprising the Committe of his wish or intention to do so. The unauthorized, and as the Committee judged unnecessary return of Mr. Brown, and his ceasing on this account to be longer connected with them, made some other measures on the part of the committee necessary, and brought under their re- view the whole subject of their mission to Asia Mi- nor. " Their connection with Mr. Brewer was on the condition, that some responsible board or association should assume his support ; but no such arrangement had been reported to the committee, or was known to exist. Much dissatisfaction with this connexion ex- isted in the minds of many members of the Presby- terian church, in view of which Mr. Brewer had sig- nified his willingness that his connexion with the So- ciety should be dissolved, if thought expedient. Un- der all these circumstances, the Committee, whilst they entertain for Mr. Brewer sincere and Christian regard, and a desire for his success and usefulness in the missionary field, deemed it best and most expe- dient, that the contemplated connexion between him and the Western Foreign Missionary Society should be finally abandoned. Though not under their di- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 157 rection, the Committee hope his valuable labours may still be continued in the Mediterranean, and they will always rejoice to hear that his efforts in this important field have been owned and blessed by the Head of the Church. " It will probably be found expedient to assign one, if not both of the missionaries, who have been pre- vented from going to Smyrna by the want of funds, to some other field of labour, where the door of use- fulness is more open, and the call for assistance more pressing. '^ MISSION TO CHINA. The remarks in the last Report of the Society, in- troductory to the notice of the appointment of this mission, are so important in themselves, and so ne- cessary to be known and appreciated throughout the whole Presbyterian church at the present time, that it has been determined to quote the whole, although of a length, which but for the considerations stated, would render it improper to insert them in this sketch. Immediately after announcing the Mission to China, the report proceeds as follows : '^ This great people, not more remarkable for the extent of their territory and the number of their population, than for their entire ignorance of the true God, have of late engaged the thoughts of professing Christians, in all parts of our country. The remarka- ble fact that one-fourth, or perhaps one-third of the human race, read one language, ought long ere now 14 158 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. to have called for the exertion of every friend of missions and of the bible, to give to them that bles- sed book, in numbers somewhat proportionable to the demand. But alas ! a few small editions of the Chi- nese Bible is the entire supply, for these hundreds of millions. The missionary and tract societies of our own and other countries, have of late years been most usefully employed, in furnishing tracts and scripture histories; but all that has yet been done, cannot bear any comparison to what is yet wanted. The impression that China is closed to missionary exertions, seems yet to rest like an incubus on the minds of Christians, and to paralize and throw doubt on every exertion in her behalf. China is closed in some respects, but China is open and waiting for the Gospel in others. The government of China, fearful of European politics, and still remembering the in- trigues of the agents of the church of Rome, have forbidden the residence of foreigners within their limits, except at one designated point. The govern- ment do not permit even their language to be taught, nor their books to be sold to foreigners. They for- bid also the reading of any books brought by foreign- ers. They permit no schools to be taught by them, nor printing presses to be established. New edicts make their appearance from time to time; but these prohibitions are of long standing. Notwithstanding these measures, the people of China are anxious to re- ceive our religious, scientific, and historical books; and if instead of five thousand copies of tlie bible, we had half a million, and prudent and qualified men to PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 159 distribute them, it would not be long before they would be in circulation, in the most thickly settled part of the empire. All the Mandarins and all the military officers, could not prevent their teeming mil- lions from receiving and reading them. It ill be- comes the Church to be discouraged, till the missiona- ries abroad report to them that nothing more can be done. In other respects, China is open and perfectly accessible to missionary labours. In every island in the Eastern Archipelago, Chinese emigrants are to be found, mostly residing together ; and only men of a right spirit, sustained by the prayers and the contri- butions of the churches, are wanted, to carry to these accessible perishing thousands, the bread of life. These emigrants, to a greater or less degree, are con- nected with the population at home ; many are con- stantly coming and returning ; and thus affording fa- cilities and opportunities to disseminate printed books, to a great extent. The hundreds of thousands of the Chinese population, engaged in fishing, far out of sight of land, and in large companies together, ought neither to be overlooked nor neglected. The at- tempt to supply them with printed or oral instruc- tion, might not in all cases be permitted, because they are for the most part accompanied by war boats. But let the trial be made. It may be found that these very war boats, will be the first to receive the words of life. " Heretofore the Chinese printing has been almost entirely performed in the Chinese manner, on blocks of wood. The preparation of these blocks requires 160 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the employment of Chinese artists. Hence nothing could be done without their assistance. The Chi- nese language has no alphabet, every character re- presents either a word or an idea. Their number is estimated by Dr. Marshman at 30,000. The ex- pense of preparing steel punches and matrices for such a number would be so great, that till lately no attempt has been made to supply the whole. Be- sides the expense, the difficulty of arranging 30,000 diflferent characters in a printing office, so as to be manageable by the printer, is seen at once to be too great for practical purposes. The Rev. Mr. Dyer at Penang, has been for some time engaged with good success, in preparing steel punches and matrices for two or three thousand of the characters most in use. These types when prepared can be used in the com- mon printing press, and even that number of charac- ters will afford great facility in Chinese printing. Still it is most desirable, that when the missionaries have acquired a full knowledge of the language, they should have the advantage of using any character in it they might prefer, in translating or explaining the Bible, or in writing their other publications. This most important discovery has quite lately been made. More than thirty years ago. Dr. Marshman disco- vered that most of the Chinese characters consisted of two elements, which he called formatives and primatives. He pointed out this principle to the student of the language with great clearness, as one of great importance for him to know. Dr. Marsh- man does not seem to have been aware how very PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 161 important this discovery was, in relation to the pre- paration of a body of metal type for the whole lan- guage. Pursuing the subject with the light thus af- forded by this venerable and able missionary, the Chinese scholars in Paris carried it one step farther, in reference solely to printing. They divided the whole language into two classes of divisible and in- divisible characters, and by a careful examination of the divisible characters, and a reduction of them to their most simple elements, it appeared that with 9000 punches and matrices, the whole 30,000 cha- racters can be formed. By arranging and number- ing these 9000 elements under their respective keys, the whole presents but little more difficulty than a common English printing office. " The Committee are much indebted to the Rev. Robert Baird, now in Paris, for the promptitude and ability with which he answered all their letters in relation to this subject. He also forwarded speci- mens of the printing, which in beauty of form and perfection of finish, excel any Chinese printing with which they have yet been compared in this country. An experienced typographer has engaged to furnish matrices for the whole, or for part of the language, as individuals or societies may order. Deeming the subject of the first importance, in reference to the present condition of China, the Committee, in Octo- ber last, ordered a set of matrices for the whole lan- guage, and forwarded ^500 in part payment. The expense at first was stated to be nearly j^5000, but by later information from Mr. Baird, some additional 14* 162 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. charges for polishing, preparing, and numbering the matrices, amounting to ^1600 must be added. The payment of this additional sum has been assumed by a single individual, which, in the present state of their funds, very much relieved the Committee. There is also some uncertainty, whether the whole number of matrices will be made. The typographer states, that for less than two orders, he cannot afford the expense of completing the whole set. No other society, either in Europe or the United States, has ordered a full set; but the last advices are favourable to a second order being given by the Royal Printing Establishment of France. A number however that will be of essential service will be obtained, some of which are already made. With some delay, the whole of the remainder can be furnished by Ameri- can artists, at a small increase of expense. " The Committee had previously decided to send a mission to China, as large and efficient as the means placed in their hands v/ould justify. For this mis- sion there have been designated two ordained minis- ters, one physician, and one printer. If the means were afforded, these brethren wouM in a few weeks be on their way. At presen there are not means to send them forward ; but the Committee hope the delay will be short ; they trust the time is nearly past, when the Presbyterian church will continue to stand with her arms folded, while the millions of China are perishing in her sight." The writer greatly rejoices that he is able to state, that the Rev. John A. Mitchell, and the Rev. R. W. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 163 Orr, and Mrs. Orr, forming an incipient mission to China, sailed for the port of their destination, in De- cember last, (1837). A physician is delayed for the want of means to send him out. The matrices for the Chinese metal types are in preparation at Paris, with much promise of complete success. PROJECTED OR PROSPECTIVE MISSIONS. The Institution whose missions have now been noticed, is still in its infancy. Those who conducted its operations before it was received under the pa- tronage of the General Assembly, as well as those who now manage its concerns, have been obliged to do what they found to be practicable, and to fore- go much, very much, that they felt to be desirable. Often it was difficult, as they could do but little, to say who, among the multitude hastening to perdi- tion, they would first attempt to save. The hea- then nations were spread out before them, like men perishing by a mighty shipwreck, and as their little relief bark could only go to one here, and another there, the question was embarrassing, what indi- viduals of the sinking throng they would immedi- ately strive to rescue. Hence in their report they point to so many fields of usefulness which they saw it to be desirable, yet found it to be impracticable, to essay to enter, till their means should be greatly en- larged. In their report on their Northern India and China missions, they point to regions of heathen desolation, which all the missions now in action 164 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. throughout the world, would but very partially sup- ply. Beside what they there say, toward the close of their last report, they give a distinct article which they entitle " additional missions," and then add : " In view of the amount of means that might be contributed by the churches connected with the So- ciety, the Committee believed it to be their duty, to bring into view other stations, which ought to be oc- cupied. Two of these would be, the enlargement of missionary operations among the Indian tribes, an- other a mission to Calcutta, and another a mission to China. '^* INDIAN TRIBES. In their last report the committee say — " Beyond the limits of the respective States, and east of the Rocky Mountains, are 40 tribes of various sizes, con- taining a population of near 200,000. Ten other tribes, or parts of tribes, east of the Mississippi river, with a population of 50,000, are under treaty stipu- lations to remove west of that river; thus making an aggregate of 250,000, all more or less accessible to the labours of the missionary. "The Indian territory, as designated by the com- missioners to apportion it among the different tribes, is bounded by Red river on the south, and the Mis- * This report, it will be recollected, was made, while as yet the mission, since gone to China, could not proceed for want of the necessary funds. The same want still renders it very imperfect. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 165 souri and Platte rivers on the north ; and is estima- ted to contain 206,738 square miles — a country more than three times the size of the six New England states, and more than four times the size of Pennsyl- vania. Upwards of 45,000 Indians have already emigrated to this territory, which, with 6500 Kan- zas and Osages residing there, and 50,000, under treaty stipulations to remove within its limits, will make a population, of more than 100,000. Here are no interferences with the jurisdiction or rights of any of the States ; and the whole Indian territory will be held by them, under the solemn guarantee of the Government of the United States. In every treaty, the most ample provision has been made for the support of schools, and for teaching agriculture and the most simple of the mechanic arts. It is a most important question, will this experiment of the government, in thus providing a permanent home, save the remnants of this noble race, from the me- lancholy destiny of those who have perished before the advance of the white man ? Is it practicable to elevate the mass of this population, so that in time they may safely be entrusted with all the rights of citizens, and be brought into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States ? It would not be difficult to prove, that if the proper means are used, both these questions may be safely answered in the affirmative. But leaving this discussion as not properly belonging to this report, the Committee would notice but one aspect of the question. This experiment will fail most certainly, unless the Indi- 166 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. ans are made acquainted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How important then is the agency the Church has to perform ; and how great will be her guilt, if from apathy the part assigned to her is left undone, and thereby all the other efforts fail ! In view of this responsibility, the Committee have de- cided, that as soon as they can obtain qualified men, and the means are afforded, to occupy suitable sta- tions in the Indian territory, and thus to aid in send- ing the Gospel to every tribe and people within its limits. " The Committee had also in contemplation to send a mission to the Mandan Indians. They re- side high up on the Missouri, and have a population of 15,000. There are many considerations in favour of a station so remote from the white population on the borders of the settlements. There are also dis- advantages. The Committee are not prepared at pre- sent to occupy this station ; and this mission must wait till the spirit of the churches has reached a higher elevation in favour of foreign missions. In the mean time the Committee will seek for the best information in relation to all the tribes upon our borders. MISSION TO CALCUTTA. " Looking to our large and extending missionary establishments in Upper India, the Committee have decided to establish a mission at Calcutta. Through this place all the remittances and supplies for the up- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 167 per stations must be sent. This city is the seat of the British Government in India. It is crowded and surrounded by a heathen population ; and the devo- ted labourers from other societies now there, are anxiously looking to this country for assistance in this arduous work. " The committee have not definitely selected any other stations in India. What additional points they may be able to occupy, will depend on the men and the means which may be at their disposal. A press- ing call has been made in favour of Munipore, a sta- tion about half way between Calcutta and Ava, and on the direct road between the two cities. Various stations on the Ganges above Benares are very eligi- ble, and call loudly on the churches to occupy them. It is the wish of the committee, as soon as practica- ble, to make arrangements for occupying one or more stations, at or above Allahabad.* All these stations would be on the direct travelling road from Calcutta to Lodiana." THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. This publication was commenced by the Western Foreign Missionary Society in the second )^ear (1833) of its existence, and has been regularly con- tinued ever since. It consisted at first of a single sheet, but is now extended to two sheets; and is * This station is now occupied by a part of llie last mission- aries sent to India. 168 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. printed in a very handsome style, and great care is taken to distribute it regularly. No Presbyterian family ought to be without this publication, what- ever be the number or character of the other publica- tions which it receives. The price is only one dollar per annum, with a most liberal allowance to agents. A very particular attention is due to the following statement, which appeared on the cover of the Janu- ary number of the present year (1838). " At the meeting of the Board of Foreign Missions in Baltimore, it was decided that the Foreign Mis- sionary Chronicle should be enlarged. It is impor- tant that our churches should be able to take an in- telligent interest in the proceedings of our own Mis- sionary brethren, and to offer appropriate prayers to God in their behalf; and it is, also, desirable that every Christian should form comprehensive view^s of the progress of the kingdom of Christ in the world. Our narrow limits have, heretofore, restricted the amount of information in regard to these objects, which we have desired to communicate. In future we hope to give our readers a partlcalar account of the proceedings of the Board of Foreign Mis- sions of the Presbyterian church, and a general view of the transactions of other benevolent Insti- tutions ; with occasional orignal communications; biographical sketches of persons engaged in mission- ary duty, and of converted heathens ; notices of books relating to missions ; and such other general information as may be adapted to interest the minds of intelligent and reflecting readers. We wish to PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 169 make the Foreign Missionary Chronicle so far a per- fect Missionary work, that those persons whose means will not justify them in taking more than one periodical of this kind, and those also whose duties will not permit them to read more than one, will alike find this Magazine adapted to their wishes. ^^ The Chronicle will continue to be published un- der the direction of the Executive Committee. We are well aware of the difficulty of conducting a work of this kind, in such a way as to meet the views and wishes of all classes of its readers. The outline pre- sented above, describes the manner in which we wish to have it conducted. We hope that it will prove a useful auxiliary to clergymen, and to indi- vidual Christians, who wish to co-operate w^ith the Board of their own Church in this sacred cause. It may perhaps become the best, and yet the least ex- pensive agent, which the Board could employ among the churches. ^' May we not hope, therefore, to receive the kind countenance of Christian friends, in sustaining and extending the circulation of this work ? To the mi- nisters of our churches we respectfully suggest the propriety of recommending it to their people from the pulpit, and on other occasions. We know that, commonly, the degree of interest which any people manifest in the subject of missions, is in precise pro- portion to the missionary intelligence which they possess. We would, also, solicit the assistance of all who are friendly to this Board, in procuring addi- tional subscribers to the Chronicle. Its circulation 15 170 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. might, we suppose, at once be increased many thou- sands ; and the present seems to be the most suitable time, for making efforts to secure for it a support worthy of the Presbyterian church, and of the cause in whose service it is employed/' TRANSFER OF THE WESTERN FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. It only remains to trace the proceeding which resulted in the transfer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, from the Board of Directors de- riving their authority from the Synod of Pittsburgh, to the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyte- rian church, constituted by the General Assembly of that church in the United States. The Convention which met at Pittsburgh, in May 1835, on the recommendation of the signers of the Act and Testimony ^ issued after the rising of the General Assembly of the preceding year, was the first public body that adopted any decisive measures on this subject. The Act of the Convention referred to, was expressed in the following resolution : " Resolved, Tliat the Committee on the memorial be instructed to present to the General Assembly the solemn conviction of this Convention, that the Pres- byterian church owes it as a sacred duty to her glo- rified Head, to yield a far more exemplary obedi- ence, (and that in her distinctive character as a church,) to the command which he gave at his ascen- sion into heaven : " Go ye into all the world, and PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 171 preach the Gospel to every creature." It is believed to be among the causes of the frowns of the great Head of the church, which are now resting on our beloved Zion, in the declension of vital piety and the disorders and divisions that distract us, that we have done so little — comparatively nothing — in our distinctive character' as a Church of Christ, to send the Gospel to the heathen, the Jews, and the Mo- hamedans. It is regarded as of vital importance to the welfare of our Church, that foreign as well as do- mestic missions should be more zealously prosecuted, and more liberally patronized ; and that, as a nucleus of foreign missionary effort and operation, the Wes- tern Foreign Missionary Society should receive the countenance, as it appears to us to merit the confi- dence, of those who cherish an attachment to the doctrines and order of the Church to which we belong. " After some discussion, the above document was committed to the Rev. Messrs. Blythe, Cuyler, and Witherspoon, with instructions to introduce the sub- ject to the notice of the General Assembly, through the Committee on Bills and Overtures." Agreeably to their appointment, the Committee on the Memorial of the Convention presented the foregoing resolution to the General Assembly of 1835. The action of the Assembly on the subject, is contained in the following extracts from their re- cords : " The Committee on Overture, No. 24, reported 172 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. and their report was accepted and adopted, and is as follows : viz. " The Committee on the papers submitted to them in relation to the Western Foreign Missionary So- ciety, recommend the adoption of the following re- solutions: viz. " I. That it is the solemn conviction of this Gene- ral Assembly that the Presbyterian church owes it as a sacred duty to her glorified Head, to yield a far more exemplary obedience, and that in her distinc- tive character as a church, to the command which he gave at his ascension into Heaven, — ' Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.' It is believed to be among the causes of the frowns of the great Head of the Church, which are now rest- ing on our beloved Zion, in the declension of vital piety and the disorders and divisions that distract us, that we have done so little — comparatively nothing — in our distinctive character as a Church of t^hrist, to send the Gospel to the Heathen, the Jews, and the Mohamedans. It is regarded as of vital im- portance to the welfare of our Church, that foreign as w^ell as domestic missions should be more zealously prosecuted, and more liberally patronized ; and that as a nucleus of Foreign Missionary effort and opera- tion, the Western Foreign Missionary Society should receive the countenance, as it appears to us to merit the confidence, of those who cherish an attachment to the doctrines and order of the Church to which we belong. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 173 "II. Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to confer with the Synod of Pittsburgh, on the subject of a transfer of the supervision of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, now under the direction of that Synod ; to ascertain the terms on which such transfer can be made, to devise and digest a plan of conduct- ing Foreign Missions under the direction of the Ge- neral Assembly of the Presbyterian church, and re- port the whole to the next General Assembly. "Dr. Cuyler, Dr. Cummins, Dr. Hoge, Mr. Wi- therspoon, and Dr. Edgar were appointed this Com- mittee." On the second day after adopting the foregoing re- port of their Committee, the General Assembly passed the following resolution : " Resolved, That the Committee appointed to con- fer with the Synod of Pittsburgh, on the subject of a transfer of the supervision of the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the General Assembly, be au- thorized, if they shall approve of the said transfer, to ratify and confirm the same with the said Synod, and report the same to the next General Assembly." The committee appointed by this resolution made to the General Assembly of 1836 the following re- port : " The committee appointed by the last Assembly, on the transfer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the General Assembly, made a report, which was read and accepted, and is as follows : viz. "The committee appointed under the following resolution of the last General Assembly: viz. 15* 174 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. " ^ Resolved, Tliat the committee appointed to con- fer with the Synod of Pittsburgh, on the subject of a transfer of the supervision of the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the General Assembly, be au- thorized, if they shall approve of the said transfer, to ratify and confirm the same with the said Synod, and report the same to the next General Assembly,^ beg leave to report — That they submitted the following terms of agreement to the Synod of Pittsburgh, at its sessions last fall, and that it was duly ratified by that body, as will fully appear by its minutes. " Terms of agreement l^etween the committee of the General Assembly and the Synod of Pittsburgh, in reference to the transfer of tlie Western Foreign Missionar}^ Society. " \. The General Assembly will assume the su- pervision and control of the Western Foreign Mis- sionary Society, from and after the next annual meeting of said Assembly, and will thereafter su- perintend and conduct, by its own proper authority, the work of foreign missions of the Presbyterian church, by a board especially appointed for that pur- pose, and directly amenable to said Assembly. And the Synod of Pittsbrugh docs hereby transfer to that body, all its supervision and control over the mis- sions and operations of the Western Foreign Society, from and after the adoption of this minute ; and au- thorizes and directs said Society to perform every act necessary to complete said transfer, when the Assembly shall have appointed its board ; it being expressly understood, that the said Assembly will PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 175 never hereafter alienate or transfer to any other ju- dicatory or board whatever, the direct supervision and managenfient of the said missions, or those which may hereafter be established by the Board of the General Assembly. " 2. The General Assembly shall, at its next meet- ing, choose forty ministers and forty laymen, and an- nually thereafter ten ministers and ten laymen, as members of the board of foreign missions, whose term of office shall be four years ; and these forty ministers and forty laymen, so appointed, shall constitute a board, to be styled ^ The Board of Fo- reign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States ;' to which, for the time being, shall be entrusted, with such directions and instructions as may from time to time be given, the superintendence of the foreign missionary operations of the Presby- terian church ; who shall make annually to the Ge- neral Assembly a report of their proceedings ; and submit for its approval such plans and measures as may be deemed useful and necessary. Until the transfer shall have been completed, the business shall be conducted by the Western Foreign Mis- sionary Society. '' 3. The board of directors shall hold a meeting annually, at some convenient time during the ses- sions of the General Assembly, at which it shall ap- point a president, vice-president, a corresponding secretary, a recording secretary, a treasurer, general agents, and an executive committee, to serve for the ensuMig year. It shall belong to the board to receive 176 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. and dispose of their annual report, and present a state- ment of their proceedings to the General Assembly. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to meet for the transaction of business as often as may be ex- pedient, due notice of every special meeting being given to every member of the board. It is recom- mended to the board to hold, in diflferent parts of the church, at least one public meeting annually, to pro- mote and diffuse a livelier interest in the foreign missionary cause. " 4. To the executive committee, consisting of not more than seven members, besides the corres- ponding secretary and treasurer, shall belong the duty of appointing all missionaries and missionary agents, except those otherwise provided for ; of de- signating their fields of labour, receiving the reports of the corresponding secretary, and giving him need- ful directions in reference to all matters of business and correspondence entrusted to him ; to authorize all appropriations and expenditures of money ; and to take the particular direction and management of the foreign missionary work, subject to the revision of the board of directors. The executive committee shall meet at least once a month, and oftener if ne- cessary; of whom three members, meeting at the time and place of adjournment or special call, shall constitute a quorum. The committee shall have power to fill their own vacancies, if any occur during a recess of the l)Gard. " 5. All property, houses, lands, tenements, and permanent funds, belonging to the board of foreign PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 177 missions to be constituted by this agreement, shall be taken in the name of the Trustees of the General Assembly, and held in trust by them, for the use and benefit of the board of foreign missions for the time being. " 6. The seat of the operations of the board shall be designated by the General Assembly. " After some discussion, the above report was committed to Dr. Phillips, Mr. Scovel, Dr. Skin- ner, Dr. Dunlap, and Mr. Evving, who were autho- rized to review the whole case, and present it for the consideration of this Assembly. " Resolved^ That the report of this committee be the order of the day for Thursday morning at 10 o'clock, or earlier if prepared." The comniittee appointed at the close of the fore- going minute, made- the following report : " The committee to whom was referred the report of the committee on the transfer of the Western Fo- reign Missionary Society, and an overture on the same subject from the Synod of Philadelphia, made a report, which was accepted, and is as follows : " The committee to whom was referred the report of the committee appointed by the last Assembly, on the subject of a transfer of the supervision of the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the General Assembly, and also the overture from the Synod of Philadelphia on the subject of foreign missions, re- port — That the attention of the last Assembly was called to the subject of foreign missions by the fol- 178 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. lowing overture, viz. on page 31 of printed min- utes :" The committee here recite what was done in the preceding year, as already stated, and which need not be repeated. They then continue in their re- port as follows : " Thus it appears, that the proposition to confer with the Synod, and to assume the supervision and control of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, originated in the Assembly. " At that time the Western Foreign Missionary Society was in a prosperous condition, enjoying the confidence and receiving the patronage of a consider- able number of our churches, having in their em- ploy about twenty missionaries, and their funds were unembarrassed. The committee having conferred with some of the members of that Society, and find- ing that the proposition was favourably regarded by them, indulging the hope that an arrangement might be definitely made with the Synod at their next stated meeting, by which the Assembly would be prepared to enter on the work at their present ses- sions, brought the subject again before the Assembly, when it was, after mature deliberation, . *^ ' Resolved^ That the committee appointed to confer with the Synod of Pittsburgh, on the subject of a transfer of the supervision of the Western Fo- reign Missionary Society to the General Assembly, be authorized, if they shall approve of the said transfer, to ratify and confirm the same with the PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 179 said Synod, and report the same to the next Assem- bly.'— p. 33. " The committee thus appointed, and clothed with full powers to ratify and confirm a transfer, submit- ted the terms on which they were willing to accept it, to the Synod of Pittsburgh, at their sessions last Fall. '^ The members of the committee not being pre- sent at the meeting of the Synod, and there being no time for further correspondence, the Synod, (al- though they would have preferred some alterations of the terms,) were precluded from proposing any, on the ground that such alteration would vitiate the whole proceedings, and therefore acceded to the terms of the transfer which were projjosed by the committee of the Assembly, and solemnly ratified the contract on their part. Feeling themselves bound by the same, and trusting to the good faith of this body, they have acted accordingly, and have made no provision for their missionaries now in the field, for a longer time than the meeting of this As- sembly, having informed them of the transfer which has taken place, and of the new relation they would sustain to this body after their present sessions. *' It appears then to your committee, that the As- sembly have entered into a solemn compact with the Synod of Pittsburgh, and that there remains but one righteous course to pursue, which is to adopt the report of the committee appointed last year, and to appoint a Foreign Missionary Board. To pause now, or to annul the doings of the last Assembly 180 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. in this matter, would be obviously a violation of con- tract, a breach of trust, and a departure from that good faith which should be sacredly kept between man and man, and especially between Christian so- cieties — conduct which would be utterly unworthy of this venerable body, and highly injurious to the Western Foreign Missionar}' Society. "The Committe beg leave further respectfully to remind the Assembly, that a large proportion of our churches (being Presbyterians from conviction and preference,) feel it to be consistent not only, but their solemn duty in the sight of God, to impart to others the same good, and in the same form of it which they enjoy themselves, and to be represented in heathen lands by missionaries of their own deno- mination. They greatly prefer such an org^anization as this contemplated, and which shall be under the care of the Presbyterian church, and cannot be en- listed so well in the great and glorious work of send- ing the Gospel to the Heathen, under anj^ other. Already, with the blessing of the great Head of the church on the efforts of the Western^ Foreign Mis- sionary Society in this form of operation, has a mis- sionary spirit been awakened among them to a consi- derable extent, and an interest in the cause of mis- sions been created, never before felt by them. They have furnished 7nen for the work, and are contribu- ting cheerfully to their support in the foreign field. " As one great end to be accomplished by all who love the Redeemer, is to awaken and cherish a mis- sionary spirit, and to enlist all the churches in the PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 181 work of evangelizing the world ; as every leading Christian denomination in the world, has its own fo- reign missionary board, and has found such distinct organization the most effectual method of interesting the churches under their care, in this great subject ; as such an organization cannot interfere with the rights or operations of any other similar organiza- tion, for the field is the world and is wide enough for all to cultivate ; as it is neither desired nor in- tended to dictate to any in this matter, but simply to give an opportunity of sending the Gospel to the Heathen^ by their own missionaries, to those who prefer this mode of doing so, giving them that liberty which they cheerfully accord to others — your Com- mittee cannot suppose for a moment that this Gene- ral Assembly will, in this stage of the proceedings, refuse to consummate this arrangement with the Sy- nod of Pittsburgh, and thus prevent so many churches under their care from supporting their missionaries, in their own way. From this view of the case, they recommend to the Assembly the adoption of the fol- lowing resolutions : viz. " 1. Resolved, That the report of the Committee appointed by the last Assembly, to confer with the Synod of Pittsburgh on the subject of a transfer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the Ge- neral Assembly, be adopted, and that said transfer be accepted, on the terms of agreement therein con- tained. " 2. Resolved, That the Assembly will proceed to 16 182 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. appoint a Foreign Missionary Board, the seat of whose operations shall be in the city of New York. " The above report was made the order of the day for to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock." The discussion in the General Assembly on this important concern was much protracted. The par- ties were very nearly equal in numbers, and on both sides deeply interested. The following are the dates and minutes, exhibited in the record of the proceed- ings had on the subject : '< Thursday morning, May 26th, 1836. — The As- sembly, agreeably to the order of the day, took up the report of the Committee to whom was referred the report of the Committee of the last Assembly, on the transfer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society. " Dr. Skinner, one of the Committee, who dissen- ted from this report, made a counter report, which was read, accepted, and is as follows: " Whereas, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, has been connected with the Presbyterian church from the year of its incorpora- tion, by the very elements of its existence; and whereas, at the present time, the majority of the whole of that Board are Presbyterians; and whereas, as it is undesirable, in conducting the work of Fo- reign Missions, that there should be any collision at home or abroad ; therefore, " Resolved, That it is inexpedient that the Assem- bly should organize a separate Foreign Missionary Institution. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 183 " A motion was made to adopt the report of the Committee; after considerable discussion, a motion was made to postpone the motion for adoption of the Committee's report, with a view to take up the re- port of Dr. Skinner. While this motion was under discussion, the Assembly adjourned till this after- noon at half past 2 o'clock. " Thursday afternoon. May 26. — The Assembly resumed the unfinished business of this morning, viz. the postponement of the motion for the adoption of the report of the Committee on the transfer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society; after consi- derable time spent on the subject, the further consi- deration of it was suspended, to give an opportunity to the Committee appointed to count the votes for members of the Board of Missions, to report. " The Assembly resumed the subject of the trans- fer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, and it was further discussed. " Friday morning, May 27th. — The Assembly re- sumed the consideration of the unfinished business of last evening, viz. the transfer of the Western Fo- reign Missionary Society. The forenoon was spent in the discussion of this subject. "Friday afternoon. May 27th. — The unfinished business of the morning, viz. the transfer of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, was resumed ; and after considerable discussion, the question was taken on the motion to postpone the motion for adopting the report of the Committee, to take up the report of Dr. Skinner, and was decided in the nega- 184 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tive. The yeas on this motion were 133, and the nays 134.'' Thus it appears, that on this question the members of the Assembly in favour of the transfer, had a ma- jority of a single vote. After this, the subject was not again called up, till Thursday morning the 9th of June, when the final vote was taken; the record of which is as follows : '' The report of the Committee on the transfer of the Western Foreign JNTissionary Society, was taken up, and after considerable discussion, the previous question was moved and carried, when the main question on adopting the report, to transfer the Western Foreign Missionary Society to the General Assembly, was put, and was decided in the negative, as follows: yeas 106 nays 110." Thus, in a body of 216 voters, it was decided by a majority of four votes, to set aside a formal solemn contract, entered into with the Synod of Pittsburgh, under the sanction of the General Assembly of 1S35; and to refuse the acceptance of the transfer which the Synod had actually made, on the faith that the contract to which they had been invited, would cer- tainly be fulfilled. A very able protest, with 87 sig- natures, was entered against this proceeding; and was answered, or rather replied to, by a Committee of the majority of the Assembly, appointed for the purpose. These papers are too long for insertion in this sketch ; and after tlic quotations already made, are not necessary to a full understanding of the views and aims of the disagreeing parties. Probably, PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 185 among all the extraordinary doings of the Assembly of 1836, there was no one act, which had a greater influence in producing the changes and reform of the following year, than that which is now the sub- ject of notice. To violate a formal treaty, and de- clare that the Presbyterian church, in its aggregate and distinctive character, should not establish and sustain a Foreign Missionary Board, (leaving all its members to their own preferences of the mode in which their missionary duties should be discharged,) was calculated to excite both grief and indignation, and to produce a powerful reaction. Accordingly, the subject was resumed in the General Assembly of 1837, and the following transactions took place. "Wednesday Morning June 7th, 1837: The Committee on Overture No. 7, viz. the overture from the Presbytery of Salem, on the subject of fo- reign missions, made a report, which was accepted, and adopted, by yeas and nays, as follows : viz. " 1 . Resolved, That the General Assembly will superintend and conduct, by its own proper autho- rity, the work of Foreign Missions of the Presby- terian church, by a Board appointed for that pur- pose, and directly amenable to said Assembly. " 2. The General Assembly shall at its present meeting, choose forty ministers and forty laymen, as members of the Board of Foreign Missions, one fourth part of whom shall go out annually, in alpha- betical order; and thereafter ten ministers and ten laymen shall be annually elected as members of the Board of Foreign Missions, whose term of office 16* 186 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. shall be four years ; and these forty ministers and forty laymen, so appointed, shall constitute a Board to be styled, ^ The Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of Ameri- ca,' to which, for the time being, shall be intrusted, with such directions and instructions as may from time to time be given by the General Assembly, the superintendence of the foreign missionary operations of the Presbyterian church. This Board shall make annually to the General Asscm])ly a report of their proceedings, and submit for its approval such plans and measures as may be deemed useful and necessary. " 3. The Board of Directors shall hold their first meeting, at such time and place as may be directed by the present General Assembly, and shall hold a meeting annually, at some convenient time during the sessions of the General Assembly, at which it shall appoint a President, Vice-President, a Corres- ponding Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Executive Committee, to serve for the ensuing year. It shall belong to the Board of Directors to review, and de- cide upon all the doings of the Executive Commit- tee; to receive and dispose of their annual report, and to present a statement of their proceedings to the General Assembly. It shall be their duty, also, to meet for the transaction of business as often as may be expedient, due notice of every special meet- ing being seasonably given to every member of the Board. " 4. To the Executive Committee, consisting of not more than nine members beside the Correspond- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 187 ing Secretary and the Treasurer, shall belong the duty of appointing all missionaries and agents; of designating their fields of labour ; receiving the re- ports of the Corresponding Secretary, and giving him needful directions, in reference to all matters of business and correspondence intrusted to him ; to authorize all appropriations and expenditures of mo- ney ; and to take the particular direction and man- agement of the foreign missionary work, subject to the revision and control of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month, and oftener if necessary; five members, meeting at the time and place of adjournment or special call, shall constitute a quorum. The com- mittee shall have power to fill their own vacancies, if any occur during the recess of the Board of Direc- tors. " 5. All property, houses, lands, tenements, and permanent funds, belonging to the said Board of Fo- reign Missions, shall be taken in the name of the Trustees of the General Assembly, and held in trust by them for the use and benefit of ^ The Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America,' for the time being. " 6. The seat of operations of the Board of Direc- tors shall be designated by the Board, " 7. The Board of Directors shall have povs^er, and they are hereby authorized to receive a transfer of the Foreign Missionary Societies, or either of them, now existing in the Presbyterian church, with all 188 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the missions, and funds, under the care of and be- longing to such societies. — Yeas 108, Nays 29. " Mr. Plumer offered the following resolutions, which were adopted : viz. " 1. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to nominate Directors for the Board of Foreign Mis- sions. "2. Resolved, That the Board of Foreign Mis- sions be directed to hold their first meeting in the First Presbyterian Church, in the city of Baltimore, on Tuesday, the 31st of October next, at 3 o'clock, P. M." " Wednesday Afternoon, June 7th : Mr. Yeomans, from the Committee to nominate Directors for the Board of Foreign Missions, made a report, which was accepted and adopted, and is as follows : viz. " Ministers. — John N. Campbell, D. D., Jacob Green, William W. Phillips, D. D., Joseph McEl- roy, D. D., Gardiner Spring, D. D., John M. Krebs, Elias W. Crane, George Potts, Edward D. Smith, Archibald Alexander, D. D., Samuel Miller, D. D., John Breckinridge, D. D., George Junkin, D. D., Nicholas Murray, Ashbel Green, D. D., Corne- lius C. Cuyler, D. D., John McDowell, D. D., Robert J. Breckinridge, Henry A. Board man, J. L. Dinwiddie, G. W. Musgrave, John C. Backus, Fran- cis Herron, D. D., Matthew Brown, D. D., Elisha P. Swift, Thomas D. Baird, David Elliot, D. D., James Hoge, D. D., Joshua L. Wilson, D. D., An- drew Todd, William S. Plumer, William M. At- PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 189 kinson, George A. Baxter, D. D., Samuel L. Gra- ham, D. D., William McPheters, D. D., Aaron W. Leland, D. D., Thomas Smyth, John Witherspoon, D. D., Thomas Goulding, D. D., James L. Sloss. " Laymen. — Ananias Piatt, John Woodworth, John Owen, James Lenox, James Paton, Moses Al- len, Samuel Boyd, Henry Rankin, Hugh Auchin- closs, Robert Jaffray, Thomas Pringle, Benjamin McDowell, Thomas McKeen, George Morris, Geo. Brown, William McDonald, Alexander Symington, Charles Chauncey, James N. Dickson, William Har- ris, M. D., Alexander Henry, Matthew Newkirk, Solomon Allen, Joseph P. Engles, Robert Wallace, Nathaniel Ewing, Harmer Denny, John Hannen, Samuel Thompson, Charles S. Todd, Samuel C. An- derson, James Fitzgerald, James Caskie, Frederick Nash, Eugenius A. Nesbit, Gilbert T. Snowden, James Adger, Joseph H. Lumpkin, John Ker, M. D., John Murphy." Thus, at length, were the wishes and prayers an- swered, of those who had long and earnestly desired to see a Board of Foreign Missions, under an eccle- siastical appointment and responsibility, established in the Presbyterian Church of the United States act- ing in its distinctive character. The Board, agree- ably to the direction of the Assembly, held its first meeting in the First Presbyterian church of Balti- more, on the 31st of October 1837; when its com- plete organization was harmoniously effected, and a resolution was passed that " the principal seat of its operations be in the city of New York." The pro- 190 PRESBYTERIAN 3IISSI0NS. ceedings of the Board are already before the public ; a copy of the pamphlet containing them having been sent by the Executive Committee, according to a resolution of the Board, to each minister of the Pres- byterian Church. ( 191 ) CONCLUDING REMARKS. From the preceding compendious view of Mis- sions in the Presbyterian church of the United States, it appears that this Church has not been alto- gether insensible of the importance of so great and sacred a concern, nor wholly inactive in the dis- charge of her duty. In Domestic Missions her ex- ertions have been laudable, and her efficiency consi- derable ; but in Heathen and Foreign Missions, she has reason to mourn over her remissness, and to be humbled in view of her small participation in the great work of evangelizing the world. It is true indeed, that since the revival of the missionary spirit, within the last fifty years, certain unpropitious cir- cumstances, some of which the present sketch has brought into view, have tended to restrain her efforts in foreign missionary enterprise, and to hold her in comparative inaction. But no apology can justify the past neglect ; and far less would its continuance admit even of palliation. By the good providence and gracious interposition of God, the Presbyterian church in this country is, at present, in a situation more favourable than ever heretofore, for command- ing all her resources, and exerting her whole strength in propagating the Gospel. The wise and decisive action of the General Assembly of 1837, has delivered her from the paralizing effect of an unfriendly ex- 192 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. traneous influence; and having now her Boards of Education, and of Domestic and Foreign Missions, formally and fully established, free from internal as well as external counteraction, she has at her disposal all the necessary means for extensive and effective operations, in the foreign as well as the domestic missionary field. It is now for her to justify or to falsify, the allegation that has often been made by some, not the most friendly to her institutions, that she has neither the zeal nor the skill, indispensable for managing effectively a great missionary concern. Every consideration, therefore, both of character and duty, loudly demands from all her children, to put forth their whole force, and to bring into action all their means, to wipe away her reproach, and to give her a vigorous operation, in obeying her risen Savi- our's parting command to his disciples; and to repair, as far as it can be repaired, her past neglect, and de- monstrate that she is animated by a sincere concern for the salvation of souls, and a supreme regard to the glory of God — in a degree not exceeded by any Church in protestant Christendom. All this, her numbers and her resources put fully in her power, if that power be exerted under the influence of a holy, wisely directed, and well tempered zeal. Tq contribute to this high object, as far as his ability extends, let the author of tlie foregoing sketch be permitted, respectfully to submit to his brethren of the Presbyterian church, some considerations which appear to him to demand a general and very serious attention. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 193 1. The importance of sustaining our missionary operations on right principles, and from right mo- tives. A regard to character has been mentioned ; and the commendation which the Apostle Paul be- stowed on the Churches of Achaia, and his declara- tion that their example had " provoked very many," shows that this motive may lawfully have a degree of influence. Yet doubtless it ought to be subordi- nate to one of an infinitely higher order ; for if the preservation of character itself be not regarded as subservient to the glory of God and the promotion of his cause in the world, it loses its chief value. What we want is, that it should be brought home to the heart and conscience of every professing Chris- tian, male and female, in the Presbyterian church, that there is a palpable defect, a manifest flaw in Christian character, so long as he or she does nothing to send the Gospel to the heathen. Surely the posi- tive command of the Saviour to " preach the Gospel to every creature," either was obligatory only on the Apostles, and their successors, the ministers of the Gospel, or else that it was, and still is, binding on all Christians alike, each '^according to the ability that God giveth." Suppose then — what is believed not to be the fact — that the command of Christ was intend- ed to be directly obligatory only on the preachers of the Gospel, still the question dictated by inspira- tion will demand an answer; ^' how shall they preach except they be sent?" To be sent, implies that he to whom it relates goes on the errand of another ; al- though he may feel a deep interest for himself, in 17 194 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the business of his mission. Professing Christians then, must send the preachers — the missionaries who go to proclaim the Gospel to the heathen. This ma- nifestly involves the duty of qualifying them to be sent, and of supporting them in their missionary work, in such manner as shall enable them to per- form it with the greatest efficiency ; so that this duty is brought directly back, with all its solemn sanc- tions, to the bosom of every professing Christian. Here is the true missionary principle ; and it is the only principle that can be relied on, for the regular, constant, and adequate support of missionary opera- tions. Novelty and a powerful appeal to the feelings, whether of a popular audience or of individuals in private, will frequently produce great temporary ef- fects. But the influence of excitement is always transient, and is often followed by indifference, and sometimes by disgust or aversion. Now, in the mis- sionary concern, w^e want something that can be cal- culated upon, as steadily, permanently, and affec- tively operative — and here we find it. We find it in a deeply settled principle, working on the heart and conscience of every Christian, that he and she are bound by the allegiance and the gratitude they owe to the Saviour, in whom is all their own hope for eternity, to send his soul-saving Gospel to the mil- lions who, for want of it, are perishing in ignorance and sin. If this principle can be radicated in the hearts of Christian professors generally in the Pres- byterian church, we shall never know the want, ei- ther of funds or of missionaries for heathen missions. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 195 Parents, under the divine blessing, will instil the principle into the minds of their children, the young will imbibe it from the old, talented and educated youth will feel its constraining power and covet the missionary work ; the widow, too, will bring her mite, the poor man his dollar, and the rich man his hundreds or thousands, and cast them cheerfully into the consecrated treasury. In a word, the Church of God, in her embodied strength, will " come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty." Ministers of the Gospel and elders of churches, therefore, should use incessant efforts to inculcate this principle, in every congregation. " Do you hold this principle and purpose, by the grace of God, to act upon it?'' may not improperly be a question propounded to every individual, when application is made for the full communion of the Church. 2. Before the world shall be converted to God, there must be a practical conviction — just such a conviction as some of our best missionaries now among the heathen, tell us has sunk into the depths of their souls — that it is the power of God alone, work- ing by his Spirit on the minds of the heathen, that can ever change them — raise them from the abyss of their depravity and awful degradation, renew them unto holiness, inspire them with the faith and hope of the Gospel, and prepare them for communion with God on earth, and the more perfect communion of the heavenly state. But in close connexion with this full sense of dependence on God alone for the conversion of the heathen, there will be a firm and 196 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. lively faith in God, that in his own good time, his almighty grace will actually produce this effect, not- withstanding all the wretchedness, abandoned vice, and almost brutal debasement, in which pagan nations are now beheld ; and notwithstanding all the opposi- tion which may be made from earth and hell — be- cause he has promised, and cannot lie, that his be- loved Son, as the reward of his sufferings and death, ^' shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied," and expressly " I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Here, in the next place, will be the firm foundation for the prayer of faith ; prayer which will take hold on the promises of God as divine realities, that must and will meet their accomplish- ment ; prayer which will plead for the fulfilment of the divine engagements with an earnestness like that with which Jacob wrestled with the angel of the covenant ; prayer which will regard not only the pe- rishing state of the heathen, but which also will look beyond and above it — look to the triumph of the Re- deemer over the prince of darkness, in the the total subversion of his empire, and the establishment on its ruins of the kingdom and the reign of Immanuel ; prayer, in a word, that will contemplate the glory of the blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, shin- ing in all its splendour, when the riches of divine grace are displayed in the congregated host of the elect, gathered from every kindred and people and tongue under heaven. Now, as it is believed that there must be a great PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 197 increase of these things, among Christians in general^ before the arrival of the Melennial age, so the more there is of them, in reference to the missionary- operations now going on in our own and in other churches, the greater will be the well founded hope, that these missions will be crowned with a large and the most desirable success. Not only should their best endeavours be used by the judicatories of the church, and by the minister and elders of particular congregations, to secure a better attendance on the monthly concert, and a right management of it when the people convene for its observance ; but in coun- try places, and in the winter, it may be expedient to have two or three locations, instead of one, in which the people of a neighbourhood may meet in small companies for social prayer, and other exer- cises appropriate to. the stated season of devotion. This will take away most of the ground for the common reason assigned for absence from the con- cert, that the distance of the church from a large part of the congregation, and the difficulty and even dan- ger of travelling in the dark, prevents a general at- tendance. It ought also to be inculcated on those who cannot or do not attend, that they may and ought, in their private retirements, to spend some time in special prayer, while their brethren are spending it in social devotion. If this be done with a proper frame of mind, the concert will be observed by those who are absent, as well as by those who are present in a particular place. A prayer hearing God may be addressed in any place, and 17* 198 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS tliose who pray in private, in the manner recom- mended, may mingle their petitions and their praises with those who assemble for the purpose. 3. Dependance on God for the success of missions to the benighted pagans ought not to diminish, but to increase, the means and exertions that we use to produce this effect. The great encouragement which is presented to us in the oracles of inspiration, to be diligent and persevering in the use of means is, that they are appointed by God, and, as his ordinary dis- pensation, indissolubly connected with his blessing. Our Saviour's command to ask, seek, and knock, is connected, as an encouragement, with the declara- tion that " he that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" — and this declaration, or promise, is, by himself, directly applied to the gift of the Holy Spirit. '* If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." In like manner, the apostle Paul en- joins on the Philippians — " Work out your own sal- vation with fear and trembling" — and why ? — " For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure." Here the entire efficiency and sovereign good pleasure of God, in the matter of our salvation, is assigned as tlie very reason why we our- selves should work it out — assigned as a powerful encouragement, as it unquestionably is; for what en- couragement to use all our own efforts can be so ani- mating, as the knowledge that we have an Almighty PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 199 Helper to aid us, and whose good pleasure it is to work in us and with us, and to render our faithful endeavours successful. Among the means for the prosecution of missions, funds and missionaries, are at once seen to be essen- tial. In the foreign field, nothing can be done with- out them. In addition to what has already been sug- gested on this topic, let the writer be permitted to express his conviction, that there has never yet been, among the professors of religion in the Pres- byterian church, any thing like a general and just estimate of the amount of property, which each indi- vidual ought, as a matter of sacred duty, to dedicate to the Lord. Some few instances of noble Christian liberality have been witnessed ; but take the church at large, and probably not one professor of religion in fifty, has done all that an enlightened sense of duty would have dictated. It is believed, however, that penuriousness in this matter, has been less ow- ing to absolute inherent avarice, than to the want of considering the subject seriousl}^, and viewing it in a proper light. It cannot be discussed at any length in this sketch, and must be left to be brought before their people by the pastors of our churches. The great point to be carried, as before stated, is, to get it fixed in the mind of every professor of religion that there is a sacred duty to be performed in this concern, and an estimate to be made, as in the sight of a heart searching God, of what each individual ought to give ; and then, without unnecessary delay, to give it cheerfully and systematically. The want of sys- 200 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tern in this concern, is one great cause of defect in the amount contributed. When people give only by- impulse, they think that what (themselves being judges) is a handsome donation, made now and then, not only acquits them of their obligations, but ren- ders them meritorious. Whereas if they would take an account of what the God of providence has put into their hands as his stewards, and say, as in view of their last account, what portion of it they ought, annually or habitually, to render back to him as a voluntary thank offering, and from a desire to pro- mote the cause, and build up the kingdom of their Redeemer in the world, it would reach an amount far beyond what is produced by impulse ; and be at- tended, moreover, by the comfort of an easy mind and an approving conscience. Generally speaking, missionaries must be young men. The time may come w^hen some men in mid- dle life, or beyond it, may be called to quit places of eminence in the church at home, and go on missions. At present we look to the pious, and talented, and educated youth, of our churches, to devote their lives to this sacred work. When any young convert, un- der the constraining influence of love to his Redeem- ing God, thinks of devoting his life to the service of that Redeemer in the Gospel ministry, it might be well, at the present day, if he would immediately put the question to himself, whether he is willing to go out as a missionary to the heathen ? and, in like man- ner, young converts, of both sexes, who have no pros- pect or thought of the ministerial vocation, may do PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 201 well to ask themselves whether, in the stations for which they are, or may be, severally qualified, they are willing to leave all for Christ, and to become in- struments of making his preciousness, of which they now taste the sweetness, known to the perishing pa- gans. This would be one good method of bringing the genuineness of their conversion to the test, and of impressing their minds, through the whole of their subsequent lives, with the unspeakable importance of missionary work. But nothing could be more con- trary to the opinion of the writer, than that all who have no personal reluctance to go, either ought to go, or are fit to go. His judgment is, that no occurrence could be more disastrous to the church, than a heed- less enthusiasm to go out on missions; resembling that of the crusaders, to dispossess the Mohamedan Saracens of the holy land. No verily, while every real convert ought to be unreservedly devoted to the service of God ; and while it may be of great use for all, to think early, that they may think long, and at last justly, on the subject of missions, yet much meditation, much prayer and fasting, and much at- tention to the aspect of Providence, and much con- sultation with the most pious and judicious Christians, should invariably precede the determination of any individual to offer to be a Christian missionary. Many may have much of a true missionary spirit, and yet may not possess that bodily constitution, or those mental qualities, or that freedom from existing ties and engagements, without which it cannot be ex- pedient or lawful to assume the missionary charac- 202 PRESBYTERIAN 31ISSI0NS. ter. When a missionary proves unfaithfulj and be- comes a reproach to the cause, he does it an injury which cannot be calculated ; and in the contempla- tion of which, any one who thinks of being a mis- sionary, may well tremble. The error, however, at present, is commonly found on the side, not of too much, but of too little zeal ; and the best means that can be devised ought to be brought into operation, to impress the minds of our theological students, whether in the public seminaries, or under the di- rection of private teachers, with the sacred obliga- tions that may be resting on them, to give them- selves to the Lord, for his service in foreign lands. Yet there ought not to be any thing that virtually amounts to constraint, or compulsion, in this matter. For if a missionary's whole will and heart are not set on his work, he will be likely to faint and desire to abandon it, when he comes to encounter its diffi- culties and privations. for a host of Brainerds and Martyns in the Presbyterian church, to meet its present missionary exigencies ! God can raise them up, and let his people ontrcal hmi earnestly for this inestimable blessing. 4. Faithful missionaries ought to be "esteemed very highly in love for their work's sake ;" and every kindness should be shown them on depart- ing from our shores, and every reasonable provision be made for their support in foreign lands ; and much sympathy ought to be felt, and many prayers to be offered for them, in the arduous service in which they are employed. Yet they are neither to PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 203 be idolized nor flattered. The latter, if it do not spoil, may greatly injure them ; and the former may provoke God to cut short their days; to show us that no particular instrument is necessary to the execu- tion of his purposes ; and that he can form at plea- sure such agents as his work requires. One of the kindest things that can be done for missionaries is, to make some provision for their widows and chil- dren, when they are removed by death; and for themselves, when sickness or a broken constitution, compels them to leave the missionary field. To this important object, it is hoped that in due time the requisite regard will be shown. 5. We ought not to calculate that great and speedy success will follow our missionary enterprises. The instruction of ignorant, debased, and vicious heathen must, in the nature of things, require considerable time: and after they are instructed, God may see meet to put our faith and patience to a prolonged and painful trial ; and yet, if we persevere, he may eventually crown a mission, which seemed to be ipost unpromising, with the most signal success. So it was in the mission that was fitted out, under the most flattering auspices, to the Sandwich Islands. Yealrs on years elapsed, without a single convert being made, and disaster after disaster, befel the mis- sion. Yet at last, it seemed as if the prophetic inter- rogatory " shall a nation be born at once ?" was going to be answered aflirmatively. An adverse tide has since set in on that mission, by the criminal and re- 204 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. proachful conduct of men calling themselves Chris- tians; but the evil is at length abated, if not re- moved, and most exemplary Christian churches are there established. Something of a similar kind has often happened. It appears by the foregoing sketch, that the glorious success which ultimately rewarded the labours of our own Brainerd, did not take place, till even his faith and hope seemed on the point of extinction. Let us beware then of prescribing to a sovereign God. If he grants speedy success to a particular mission, let us receive it with lively and humble thankfulness ; and if, in another mission, or in all the missions we send out, He, for a time grants no success, but even seems to frown, as he has done on our African mission, let us bow and adore his holy sovereignty; but let us not despond, or be im- patient — " In due time we shall reap, if we faint not.'^ 6. In managing the missionary concerns at home, there certainly ought to be as strict an economy in the use of missionary funds, as an enlightened regard to the prosperity of the general cause will permit. To waste or misapply these funds, would be a spe- cies of sacrilege ; and the more gratuitous services that are freely offered the better; provided there be a reasonable prospect that such services, should they be accepted, will be really advantageous. But it is not true economy to grudge a reasonable and liberal compensation to those who give up other employ- ments, and devote all their time and talents without PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. 205 reservation, to the faithful service of the Society ; because without such a compensation, the best servi- ces, as all experience shows, can not be secured; nor the real interests of the Society, even in pecuniary matters, be best promoted. Parsimony here, is real prodigality. There ought also to be a reasonable confidence, cheerfully granted to those who manage the concerns of the Society; because without it, they cannot act with the freedom and promptitude, which the exigency of affairs may sometimes imperiously demand. On the other hand, the officers of the So- ciety ought to practise no concealment, nor violate any order of the Board, nor fail to take advice, when it can be easily and seasonably 'obtained. It is most desirable that all seeking of fame, all regard to great worldly emolument, and all craving of office, should be for ever eschewed and cautiously guarded against, by those who are concerned in the management of missions. There are some trusts and stations of re- sponsibility, which those who covet and take pains to obtain, are commonly the least fit to hold ; and in the sacred missionary cause, it may safely be assumed as a general principle, that the best men to be entrus- ted with its precious and often delicate concerns, must be sought for before they are found ; that is, they will not ordinarily present themselves as candi- dates for office, but only yield, and often with diffi- dence and trembling, to the opinions of their breth- ren. If the management of our missionary affairs ever becomes an object of worldly or secular ambi- 18 206 PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. tion, rely upon it, Ichabod will be iifScribed upon them. Such are the remarks, which the author of the foregoing sketch has ventured to submit to his brethren, in terminating one of the last services that he can reasonably hope to render to the Church of Christ. ( 207) APPENDIX. By an oversight, for which the writer hopes the multifarious nature of this publication will make some apology, the proceedings of the last meeting of the Western Foreign Missionary Society escaped due attention, till the sheet in which the order of time would have required their insertion had passed the press. The observance of that order, indeed, would have produced a very unpleasant disruption of the narrative of the proceedings of the General As- sembly, relative to this Society; and as the dates of the transactions are given, no confusion is produced by making them the subject of an Appendix. The following is a summary account of the meeting re- ferred to : "Philadelphia, May 23d, 1837.* " Agreeably to the Constitution of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, the Annual meeting of * It will be observed that this meeting took place more than a fortnight before the subject of the transfer was taken up in the General Assembly ; which, as already stated, was on the 7th of June. 208 APPENDIX. the Board of Directors was held in the session room of the Sixth Presbyterian church, Philadelphia, on Tuesday, May 23d, 1837, at half past seven o'clock, P. M." The names of the members of the Board, and of the Directors of the Society, are then given in detail. It appears that there had been appointed, five repre- sentatives of the Synod of Pittsburgh, and six of the Synod of Philadelphia. The Presbyteries of Alle- ghany, Blairsville, Carlisle, Erie, Kaskaskia, Louis- ville, Miami, New-Castle, Philadelphia, Philadelphia 2d, Redstone, Sidney, and Susquehanna, had also, each appointed representatives, agreeably to a provi- sion of the Constitution ; of whom twenty-six were present. The minutes continue as follows : "Rev. Dr. Green, Vice-President, opened the meeting with prayer. " The following resolution, submitted by the Cor- responding Secretary, Mr. Lowrie, after full delibe- ration, was decided in the affirmative: '^Resolved, That the interests of the Missionary cause, as connected with the Western Foreign Mis- sionary Society, require a change of location of the centre of its operations from the city of Pittsburgh." With two exceptions, all the members present voted for this resolution. The minutes then pro- ceed as follows : « The Rev. David Elliot, D. D., and the Rev. T. D. Bairdj being members of the Executive Commit- tee, after the above members had voted, expressed APPENDIX. 209 their acquiescence in the above vote in the affirma- tive. " Nays — none. " The constitution of the Society requires, that to carry the affirmative of the above question, there be a majority in the affirmative of all the members of the Board existing at the time ; and there being 26 votes out of the 35, the resolution was adopted. " The following resolution was then submitted, viz. " Resolved, That the centre of operations of the So- ciety be, for the present, in the city of New York. " After an interchange of sentiment till a late hour, the Board adjourned till half-past eight o'clock to-morrow. Wednesday, May 24th, 1837. " The Board met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Elliot. " The consideration of the unfinished business was resumed, and after full deliberation, was decided in the affirmative. " The Corresponding Secretary, laid before the Board the following paper, which had been read by him on yesterday. " ' In order to facilitate the plan of the contempla- ted removal of the centre of the operations of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, and to pro- vide for the organization of an Executive Committee, in the place to which the said centre may be remov- ed, we, the undersigned, members of the Board, do hereby resign our seats in the same, that our places 18* 210 APPENDIX. may be filled, at the annual meeting of the Board, with persons residing near the future location of the Society. Francis Herron, Robert Patterson, E. P. Swift, John Hannen, Samuel Thompson, Alexander Semple, Alexander Laughlin, Pittsburgh, Jlpril 2^th, 1837.' " " On motion, " Resolved, That the above vacancies in the Board of Directors be filled with the following named per- sons: " Rev. W. W. Phillips, D. D. Rev. E. W. Crane, ^* Joseph McElroy, D. D. Mr. James Lenox, " John M. Krebs, " James Paton. " Nicholas Murray, " Resolved further, That the above named per- sons be appointed members of the Executive Com- mittee ; and that Alexander Symington, Esq. be the President of the Society, the Rev. Ashbel Green, D. D. Vice-President, and Mr. James Paton, Trea- surer. " On motion, ** Resolved, That the name and style of the So- ciety be ' The Presbyterian Foreign Mission- ary Society.' " On motion, " Resolved, That the Rev. Francis Herron, D. D., Rev. David Elliot, D. D., Rev. T. D. Baird, Rev. E. APPENDIX. 211 P. Swift, Rev. John Nevin, Rev. Robert Patterson, Walter H. Lowrie, Samuel Thompson, Alexander Semple, John Hannen, and Alexander Laughlin, of the city of Pittsburgh and vicinity, be a Board of Agency for the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society, for the Western States; with such powers as may be necessary to aid the Executive Commit- tee in the appointment of Agents for bringing out the resources of the churches in the Western States, and for conducting the missionary operations among the Indian tribes. " Adjourned to meet on Friday, the 26th instant, at half-past seven o'clock, P. M., in the Central Presbyterian church. Friday Morning, May 26M, 1837. " The Board met pursuant to adjournment, at the Central Presbyterian church. This being the even- ing appointed for the public Anniversary of the So- ciety, a large assembly being present, the Rev. James Blythe opened the meeting with prayer. " Extracts of the annual report were read by the Corresponding Secretary. " Addresses were then made by the Rev. Archi- bald Alexander, D. D., Rev. R. J. Breckinridge, Rev. John A. Mitchell, and the Rev. Wm. S. Plu- mer; and, at a late hour, the congregation was dis- missed. " The Board continuing in session, on motion by the Rev. Dr. Cuyler, " Resolved, That the annual report be adopted, 212 APPENDIX. and that it be published and distributed under the direction of the Executive Committee. " Resolved, That the Rev. George Potts and Mo- ses Allen, Esq., be appointed members of the Board, in the room of the Rev. David Elliot, D. D., and the Rev. T. D. Baird, resigned, and that Mr. Allen be a member of the Executive Committee. " Adjourned to meet in Baltimore, the last Friday in October nexf The Board met in Baltimore at the time specified in the foregoing adjournment ; but did no business, except that which related to the transfer of all its concerns, to the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian church in the United States. Com- munications had been received from the Synods of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the former of which had passed, and the latter had subsequently adopted, the two following resolutions : " Resolved, 1st, That the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society, in so far as they derive authority from us, be and they here- by are empowered and directed to transfer to the Board of the General Assembly, to meet in the city of Baltimore on the 31st instant, the said Society, with all its funds, Missions, and papers. '^Resolved, 2d, That the members of the said Board of the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary So- ciety, now acting in the same by virtue of appoint- ments made by this Synod, be authorized and ap- pointed to act, from and after this date, so long as APPENDIX. 213 may be necessary duly and properly to execute the said transfer, and no longer, at which time the said Board shall be considered as dissolved/' The foregoing resolutions were passed by the Sy- nod of Pittsburgh on the 26th of October, and by the Synod of Philadelphia on the 30th of the same month, 1837. On the day after the last mentioned date, the following paper was laid before the Board of Foreign Missions: viz. " We, the undersigned, members of the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society, deriving our authority from the Synod of Pittsburgh, in pursuance of the direction of the said Synod, in their resolution of the 26th October, 1837, do hereby transfer to the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian church, the said Society, with all its funds, Missions, and papers. It being under- stood, that this transfer shall not in any manner affect or annul the principles on which the Missionaries now under the care of the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society, from the Reformed Presbyte- rian church, were received; but the said Mission- aries shall sustain the same relation to the Board of Foreign Missions of the General Assembly, which they have £ stained to the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society. Walter Lowrie, W. W. Phillips, N. Murray, James Lenox, John M. Krebs. Baltimore, October ^Ut, 1837." 214 APPENDIX. The transfer was accepted by the following reso- lution: " Resolved, That the transfer of the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society to this Board be accept- ed, on the terms and conditions specified ; and that the Executive Committee be directed to communi- cate this fact to the Synods of Pittsburgh and Phila- delphia, and to take necessary order on this subject." THE END. # '« * DATE DUE 'JUN 3 iiiw *^ '^n \/' 1 1 JUIl V C_U \ GAYLOHO PRINTED IN Li S A Pnnceion Theological Seminaf7-Speei 1 1012 01048 7603 BMMiMMMi