s t/ w rSfc ■ \ A 31 ERIC AN HOARD OP COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. ON THE **r & •>-V USE OF MISSIONARY MAPS AT THE MONTHLY CONCERT. BOSTON: PRINTED BY CROCKER & BREWSTER, 47 Washington Street. 1842 . AMERICAN BOARD OP COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. ON THE USE OF MISSIONARY MAPS AT THE MONTHLY CONCERT, BOSTON: PRINTED BY CROCKER & BREWSTER, 47 Washington Street. 1842 . I The following Address was prepared by a special Committee of Pastors appointed by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis¬ sions, consisting of Rev. Edward Hooker, D. D., Rev. Albert Barnes, and Rev. Daniel Crosby. ON THE USE OF MISSIONARY MAPS AT THE MONTHLY CONCERT. To the Pastors of the Churches patronising the 3Iissions under the care of the American Board of Commis¬ sioners for Foreign Missions. Christian Brethren : The Board, by whose appointment this paper is pre» pared, regard it one of their most pleasant and invalua¬ ble privileges, that they may address you with perfect fraternal freedom and confidence, on the means for pro¬ moting the spirit of missions in the churches ; and they earnestly hope for your cooperation in all proper mea¬ sure for giving impulse to the great enterprize of evan¬ gelizing all nations. The means for rendering the Monthly Concert inter¬ esting and effective, is a subject which has much engaged their attention, and among them that which constitutes the title of this paper. They feel convinced, and you will all doubtless admit, that in this matter much de¬ pends upon the pastors. Whatever pastors heartily feel, and wisely and diligently do, they believe will have pow¬ erful influence in the churches. It was for these reasons, among others, that at their anniversary, held in Phila¬ delphia, September, 1841, the Board appointed a special committee “ to prepare, carefully, and as early as pos¬ sible, a Missionary Paper, to be addressed to pastors of churches, and to be published under the direction of the Prudential Committee ; in which the subject shall be fully and earnestly presented, and such details given on the methods of preparing maps as may be necessary for the assistance of pastors.” 4 Believing it important that this subject should be brought before the minds of our brethren, pastors, not as a sanguine and perhaps uncertain and deceptive scheme upon paper, but as a plan fairly tested, and proved practicable and useful, this committee have prepared themselves, by correspondence with several pastors, and by bringing together the results of their own experience, to give statements of experiments which have been made, their influence on the minds of Christians, and so far as practicable the matured views of the pastors who have made them. A few of the statements will be recognized as having been published in the Missionary Herald and elsewhere. Most of them, however, have been recently collected by correspondence. They will be arranged under numerical heads, as follows : I. Experiments by different Pastors. The earliest experiments in the use of maps in the Monthly Concert, known to this committee, were made in the year 1827, by one of its members, the Rev. Daniel Crosby, late pastor of a church in Charlestown, Massa¬ chusetts. On becoming established in the place of his first ministrations, a retired country parish in this State, he “ found the Concert in existence, but without any strong hold on the affections of the people; and more¬ over regarded by them as a mere prayer-meeting for pro¬ fessors of religion, which few others were expected to attend.” The necessity thus existing for special efforts to raise this meeting from its very low state, and render it instrumental in promoting the spirit of missions and of Christian liberality among his people, led him to the use of maps, in illustration of lectures on missionary geogra¬ phy, and also of current monthly intelligence on mis¬ sions. From his account of his method of procedure, published in the Missionary Herald for March, 1839, the following extracts are given. “ Having formed my plan, and prepared myself on my first subject, I made an address to the people at the close of the service on the Sabbath preceding the first Mon¬ day in the month, in which I explained the design of the Concert, and the proper manner of conducting it. I 5 remarked upon the necessity of understanding the object for which we prayed, of having it distinctly before the mind ; and of course upon the necessity of information. I stated that it was not so much the object of the meet¬ ing to offer a specific number of prayers, as to create a deep and lasting interest in the subject of the world’s salvation. I then unfolded my plan, giving them the subject for the next evening, and throwing as much interest into its outlines as I honestly thought I could sustain in the filling up. If I recollect right, my first subject was South Africa. I exhausted the little stock of travels in my library ; faithfully examined eleven vol¬ umes of the Christian Observer ; and got, as I thought, a pretty correct knowledge of the condition and character of the people before the introduction of Christianity among them. You know what the Hottentots were, and how interesting this would be. I did not omit the political revolutions of the country, dwelt upon the introduction of Christianity, traced its progress, and disclosed its results as seen at the present time ; interspersing anec¬ dotes of Kireher, Martyn, and others. In subsequent meetings I chose a variety of topics; sometimes taking up a particular district or country, sometimes a particu¬ lar mission. I took up the two great systems of eastern philosophy, Brahminism and Budhism, and detailed the popular superstitions founded on them. Another subject was the nature of Mohammedanism, and the state of Mohammedan countries. Another, the dispersion, num¬ bers, and present condition of the Jews. I give these as specimens. In treating of all these topics, I had con¬ stant reference to maps. 1 had suspended before the audience a large map of both hemispheres, and generally a map of the particular country upon which I was remarking. By the one I could point out the relative condition of the country, its distance from some place familiar to the people, and the general route by which it was approached; the other was of service in more minute details. We had our meeting in the upper story of the school-house, which was the largest room we could command, out of the meeting-house. I went early, that I might get my maps in order. The people poured in, and soon the room was filled. The experi- 1 * 6 ment was triumphantly successful. Every body was interested. Almost twelve years have elapsed, and yet I can recal the sensations with which I sat down by my study fire in the evening after the meeting.” The experiment next in order of time and known to this committee, was made in Bowdoin-street Church, Boston, in 1837. The account of this is given in a report on this subject, read before the Board at their last annual meeting. “ A map of western and central Asia, drawn in India ink and water colors, was introduced into the Concert in that church. It was, of course, little more than an outline of the coasts, and of the more prominent natural and political divisions. It was found to add not a little to the interest of the meeting. In the summer of the same year, a map of the world was intro¬ duced, seven and a half feet by five, constructed on Mercator’s projection, or on the hypothesis of the earth’s being an extended plain ; but it was never of much use, the scale being too small for a map of the world, and Mercator’s projection not being easily apprehended by people in general. “ Meanwhile, the maps most depended on, from month to month, were made by the individual who communi¬ cated the intelligence; and were hastily and roughly drawn, costing no more time and labor than every one must give to his preparations who would succeed in the meeting. The expense, too, of these maps, which was defrayed from the contributions at the meeting, was very small. In the autumn of last year, a hemispherical map was constructed, six feet in diameter, embracing the eastern continent; and it promises well, though, for spe¬ cial occasions, there is nothing so good as the cheap, easily made, rough outline, which any body can make, by con¬ necting a few sheets of paper together with wafers. The map of central and western Asia, already men¬ tioned, has been in frequent use, and is sufficient to demonstrate that it is better to have sectional maps than maps of the world, or even separate maps of the hemis¬ pheres, if we cannot have all.” The Rev. Sil as Aiken, pastor of Park-street Church, Boston, has furnished to this committee a statement, not so much of experiments, as of what has been for some 7 time a settled and well arranged system of use of maps in the Monthly Concert of the Congregational churches of the city, held in the place of his ministrations. “The missionary maps are used at the united Monthly Concert in Park-street Church, in the following manner : The large map of the world is suspended on the wall, back of the pulpit, and far enough above it to be visible to all the congregation. On this map, by means of a rod six or seven feet long, is pointed out the place of the mission to which attention is to be directed; and the people see where, on the map of the world, the mission is situated. “Over the face of this map is then usually drawn the map of that particular mission, say of the Sandwich Islands, Western Africa, Greece, the Nestorians, or some other, as the case may be. This is constructed on a much larger scale, showing the locations of the several stations belonging to that mission, their relative position, distances, &c.; the stations being indicated by red cir¬ cles, large enough to be seen from any part of the house. The congregation having obtained from the former map a distinct idea of the place of the mission, easily transfer the idea to the latter. They have only to remember that what was a small space on the map of the world is here spread out as a district or country, with its moun¬ tains, rivers and cities, all distinctly marked. Informa¬ tion is communicated concerning this mission. Some¬ thing may be said of its origin and history ; of the former and present condition of the native population, as to civilization, morals and religion ; of political changes going on ; of the obstacles to the truth ; of the condi¬ tion and prospects of the mission; especially of recent intelligence. In the mean time, a free use is made of the rod and map in pointing out the places spoken of, and connecting events with the stations where they transpired. Thus the eye greatly assists the memory, attention is aroused and kept awake, and the facts stated, take strong hold on the mind. If another mission is to be noticed, the proper map is suspended, and the same course adopted as before. Should the same missions furnish subjects of remark at successive Monthly Con¬ certs, the map of the world, after the first instance, is used more sparingly.” 8 The Rev. Albert Barnes, pastor of the First Presby¬ terian Church in Philadelphia, writes: “ I began the course of lectures at the Monthly Concert about four years ago; at first ivithout maps ; but I soon became convinced of their necessity and procured them. I began with China and travelled westward ; spending, as the importance of the subject might demand, one, two, or three evenings, on a particular country.” The Rev. Samuel I. Prime, one of the editors of the New York Observer, and formerly pastor of a church in the country, gives the following statement: “ My parish was a manufacturing village, where the people were gen¬ erally intelligent, and interested in the cause of missions. The Monthly Concert was better attended than any other prayer meeting; but was still neglected by so many, that I felt the importance of some measures to call out the people on that occasion. The use of maps was attempted; and for want of better materials we adopted the following plan. Constructing a slight frame, about six feet long and four wide, we stretched cotton cloth upon it, on which were drawn, with India ink, the outlines of the country which was to be the subject of remark at the Concert. It was easy to make the boun¬ daries, rivers, chief towns, &,c., so large as to be dis¬ tinctly seen across the lecture room. But any deficien¬ cies discovered in the course of the lecture were readily supplied with a bit of charcoal. A series of instructions was marked out, commencing with the travels of our blessed Lord in the land of Judea. A map of Palestine was prepared, and all the places in which any of “ his mighty works were done,” laid down. I then followed him from city to city, as he “ went about doing good ; ” and was astonished at my own increased interest and that of the people, in the mission of the Son of God. Then we followed the Apostles from place to place, in Asia Minor; having another map for that subject. Having thus given the people a view of the spread of Chris¬ tianity by the early missions of the church, I proposed to take up modern missions, and communicate similarly illustrated intelligence of the gospel in various parts of the world. “ The construction of the maps was simple and cheap. 9 The same frame being used for all, there was no ex¬ pense incurred but for the cotton cloth; and the one who drew the maps was always more than paid for the trouble, by the knowledge necessarily acquired in the operation.” The Rev. Henry B. Hooker, pastor of a church in Falmouth, Mass., writes to this committee: “ At differ¬ ent times during the five years I have been here, I have made use of maps to increase the interest of the Monthly Concert. These have been such rude outlines of differ¬ ent parts of the world as I have been able to make with ink, black and red, wafers for cities, &c. I have drawn maps of Borneo, Madagascar, Persia, and parts adjacent. These outlines have been drawn on a scale large enough to be seen distinctly in all parts of our spacious vestry. I have generally used in connection with these, Mitchell’s large map of the world ; as I could thus refer from one to the other, and give a better view of the relations of the particular region under consideration, to other parts of the world. A feather, dipped in black ink, and, as occasion required, in red, was my dignified instrument in drawing the outline. Rivers, mountains, lakes, and other prominent objects, were sketched with feather dipped in ink. I thus succeeded very acceptably, I be¬ lieve. The novelty of the matter excited much atten¬ tion.” The pastor of the First Congregational Church, Bennington, Vt., a member of this committee, adds his own statement on this point: “ I was for a long time sensible that there was something wanting in our Monthly Concerts, to give my people clear and vivid conceptions of the wide extent to which this is a dark world, and of the very limited prevalence of the gospel as yet. Many Christians seem to suppose that the world is almost Christianized. But it is not easy to make them see, by mere preaching and stating facts, that the work is only begun. I had preached to my congregation a sermon, prepared with much study care and research, on 1 John v. 19. ‘ The whole world lieth in wickedness.’ I gave, in that discourse, a de¬ scription of the various portions of the world, with the forms of religious delusion prevalent. Then I gave 10 arithmetical estimates of the hundreds of millions of Pagans, Papists, Mohammedans and Jews. Then I estimated the extent of land, here in Bennington county and Vermont, which they would cover, if gathered in one vast assembly. Then I showed how many times they would extend around the globe, placed in a line of military closeness. But after all, I failed of accomplish¬ ing the impressions I wished. My hearers did not see this lost world as it is; and there was clearly something more to be done than to describe, and give statistics and work by arithmetic. I recollected Jeremiah’s words, “ Mine eye affecteth my heart; ” and he seemed to have understood the philosophy of feeling and the means of awakening it. I resolved on one more experiment by which, if possible, to make the subject of the world’s real condition preach to the hearts of my people through their eyes. I employed a carpenter to make me a board, of light material, seven feet in length and five in breadth, and painted as pure a white as possible; with handles for carrying, and a ring by which it could be suspended. This idea was suggested to me by the use of the black board in schools and academies. I drew upon my white board, (on as large a scale as its dimensions would allow, and so that it could be easily seen in the most distant parts of our meeting house,) that dark and gloomy ‘ Map of the Evangelical condition of the World,’ some time since published by the American Sunday School Union. It exhibited every country on the globe destitute of pro- testant Christianity, with a surface dark as India ink could make it. I prepared a sermon on these two texts combined : Ps. lxxiv. 20, ‘ the dark places of the earth,’ and Ps. evii. 10, ‘Such as sit in darkness and the shadow of death.’ On the intermission of the Sabbath then to occur, on the evening of which our Monthly Concert was to be held, with the assistance of my carpenter I suspended my white board map above my pulpit, and so that it should be in fair view of the congregation ; and standing before it, proceeded to preach my sermon. I described each country very much as I had done before, but illustrating every thing local by turning to my map and pointing out all with a staff. That dark and gloomy map did the work which I had not been able to accom- 11 plish with my most pains-taking and earnest preaching. It accomplished the distinct and solemn impression, that indeed ‘ the world lieth in wickedness.’ In the evening of that day, the attendance at our Monthly Concert was doubled ; and when the brethren who were called upon, prayed, they prayed as I never heard them before; as though they had seen the ‘ darkness ’ which ‘ covers the earth,’ the ‘gross darkness’ which ‘covers the people.’ Said a brother in the church, the next day, ‘ I had no conception before, that such a proportion of the world was without the gospel.’ “ Being convinced that it would be necessary to keep alive in the minds of my people the impression of that Sabbath and its map sermon, in all our future Monthly Concerts, and having other uses planned for my white board, I drew the dark map on a still larger scale, upon a paper surface nine feet long and four broad, and de* signed for permanence and as a map of reference, to be always suspended in our place of concert meeting. “ My next measure was, to draw upon the white board, from time to time, maps in outline, of portions of the world with which, as missionary fields, I wished to make my people acquainted, and on which to give short lec¬ tures at the Monthly Concert. I believe that my first was a map of Hindostan, drawn on the scale of seven feet length by five breadth. Providentially, the Rev. Hollis Read, formerly of the American mission at Bom¬ bay, was present at the Monthly Concert for which this map was designed ; and in the use of it occupied from forty to fifty minutes with great interest to the congrega¬ tion. While an American pastor, it is true, who has never trodden the soil of a heathen country, cannot give the precise kind and degree of interest to such a lecture, which can be given by a returned missionary who has seen and wept over ‘ the region and shadow of death,’ yet he will be able to do far more than would be possible for him in any other way, to interest his people in the work of prayer and effort for a dying world. “ My experiments have been continued in maps stretched upon the white board, of the Pacific ocean with its shores and islands, and affording field for many lectures, particularly on the South Sea and Sandwich 12 Islands missions; and of Armenia and the countries adjacent, on which I am now giving a course of lectures. I am not yet, in any respect, disappointed in my antici¬ pations of the practicableness and utility of the prepara¬ tion of maps upon the white boards. The large map of the evangelical condition of the world also answers, in most respects, my expectations of its uses for reference, both in the communication of monthly intelligence, and in lecturing on particular districts, so far as their position are concerned, and as a monthly memento to the church, of the condition of the world, and the reasons for hold¬ ing such meetings as the Monthly Concert. Through the liberality of an individual, we are also furnished with the excellent map recently published by the Rev. Joseph Tracy. And through these three, and the occa¬ sional use of others, such as are possessed by members of the congregation, we are quite well provided for the present.” It will be obvious to our brethren, pastors of churches, that the simple exhibition of maps with some few expla¬ nations of them, and a general understanding of their design, is but the beginning of their uses. They simply exhibit to the eyes of an assembly, districts on which their minds must be instructed ; and in the condition and wants of which are almost inexhaustible materials for information, and afford points for earnest and power¬ ful appeal to the hearts of the people of God. These remarks bring us to consider the subject II. Of Preparations for the Use of Maps in the Monthly Concert. On this point, as upon the one already presented, we give statements of the views and practices of different pastors. The Rev. Mr. Aiken, pastor of Park-street Church, Boston, thus expresses his views : “ Every thing depends upon a thorough preparation. Let a pastor devote time each month to collecting information; fixing facts and places in his mind, making himself familiar with his maps, so that he can proceed at the Concert without embarrassment, and he will not long complain of the small attendance, and want of interest in the meeting.” 13 The Rev. Mr. Hooker, of Falmouth, Mass., remarks, in answer to inquiry by this committee on his method of preparation : “ 1 have been so driven, by great cares in my large parish and frequent revivals, that I have not bestowed as much labor on this point as is desirable. When I can, I take up a missionary station or field, say Siam, or Ceylon, or Borneo, and drive through every volume of the Missionary Herald for past years, (which, by the way every pastor ought to own,) and every other book upon which I can Jay my hands. I take notes of all interesting matters, as history, productions of the country, objects of commerce, manners, customs, reli¬ gion, &c., together with as full account as possible of the mission, down to the present time. This account fills up an evening, sometimes more ; making constant reference to the map as occasion requires. At other times, I get as much information from the Herald and other periodicals, as I can; reading paragraphs, condens¬ ing, remarking,” &c. The Rev. Mr. Barnes, in answer, especially, to inqui¬ ries on his studies for the Monthly Concert, gives a state¬ ment of his views and practice. Having expressed his conviction, given under the previous head, of the great utility of maps in these meetings, he proceeds to ob¬ serve : “But they need much study with them. And no man can make much use of them who will not take all the time which ought to be taken to make prepara¬ tion. And a few moments or hours will not do.” That this pastor spoke from experience and acts on his convictions, on this point, will be seen from the fol¬ lowing passages : “ My practice has been, to commence my preparations at an early part of the week previous to the Concert, and usually to spend considerably more time on it than I ordinarily do in the preparation of a sermon.” “ My aim has been to state the religious con¬ dition of the country which w'as the subject of the lec¬ ture, or to give to a friend or an enemy of missions an in¬ telligent view of the obstacles which exist to the introduc¬ tion of the gospel, and of the arrangements which might exist in reference to it. My object has not been to teach geography as a science, but to teach whatever might bear on the subject of missions. The points at which I 2 14 have usually aimed in relation to each country have been such as the following : “ I. The geography of the country, embracing its location, boundaries, size, population, language; and in¬ cluding under this head whatever I might find in archae¬ ology, history, manners, customs, &c., that would be interesting. “ II. The religion of the country—I mean the native religion—with an account of its origin, the modes of worship, written books, &c. “ 111. The obstacles which exist to the introduction of the gospel, arising from the religion, laws, customs, cli¬ mate, &lc. &,c. ; and the facilities which may exist from any of the same causes. “ IV. The history of former attempts, if any, to intro¬ duce the gospel, from the apostolic time to the present. “V. The present state of missions there; the number of missionaries; by whom employed ; their success, &c. “ On these points I have usually found enough to occupy all the time that can be allotted to this exercise; and have believed that it was interesting and profitable to the people. In making the preparation I have availed myself of all the books to which I could have access, bearing on these points, and have usually found no diffi¬ culty in obtaining what I wished.” The Rev. Mr. Crosby’s practice, as detailed by him¬ self, has been this: “In selecting my subject, I had a general reference to the state of the public mind. I usually selected it early in the month, had my eye upon it in my general reading, and marked any thing I saw that bore upon it. On the morning of the first Monday in the month, I sat down with the general plan I had before formed and the information I had obtained, and gener¬ ally spent the whole day in preparing for the meeting in the evening. I have frequently spent eight or nine hours in my study on that day, hard at work preparing for the Concert. It was with me a settled rule, to make every thing familiar. I do not read from the Missionary Her¬ ald, or from any other book, except to illustrate some point . I never hesitate, however, to carry books into a Monthly Concert if I have occasion to refer to them, but the reference must be short. 15 w You will of course see that all this requires time. And how can a minister prepare for his Monthly Concert without taking time ? So fully am I persuaded of the importance of a minister’s devoting time and study to prepare for this meeting, that I am in the habit of omit¬ ting my weekly lecture on the week of the Monthly Concert.” III. Effects of the Use of Maps in awaking interest, 6pc. In some of the statements of experiments already given, this point has been incidentally illustrated. Ad¬ ditional ones are here given, more particular. Rev. Mr. Aiken, of Park-street Church, Boston, who has observed and participated in some of the best experi¬ ments for giving interest to the Monthly Concert, which have been made in our country, remarks: “ I am con¬ vinced that a wise use of maps is a valuable aid to the Monthly Concert. It gives the pastor a rare opportunity for instruction and profitable remarks on the interests of Christ’s kingdom.” Rev. Mr. Barnes also gives his testimony on this point: x( I am more and more impressed with the utility of maps in the Monthly Concert ; and believe that a great change would be produced in the interest of the meeting by their appropriate use. My meeting has considerably more than doubled in numbers since I begun the plan, and increased at a much larger ratio in interest and profit. I should anticipate the happiest results in regard to the cause of missions, if the pastors would lay them¬ selves out to give all the profitable information about the religious state of a country which they might.” In confirmation of these views, the Rev. Nehemiah Adams, pastor of Essex-street Church, Boston, observes : “ If there was ever a question which seemed to have but one side, it is that which concerns the use of maps at the Monthly Concert. I hope that the discussion of the question will not excite objections which otherwise would never have existed ; though it is difficult for me to con¬ ceive of any that can be raised, except those which may grow out of a want of information or of interest in the subject. My observation of the use of maps at the 16 Monthly Concert, has led me to wish that all who con¬ duct that service, would make the experiment of using maps to illustrate missionary intelligence. In the in¬ creased interest and information, and contributions of their people, they would also find, that what has been said by those who have made these experiments, is con¬ firmed by their own experience.” The Rev. Mr. Crosby, after describing his first experi¬ ment already given, observes : “ Henceforth our Monthly Concerts were our most numerously attended evening meetings. We often had to bring in extra seats. And what is most pleasing of all, in one instance, certainly, if not in more, the first indications of a revival of reli¬ gion were discovered in the Monthly Concert. We gen¬ erally had three prayers, and joined in singing when a proper stopping place occurred, or the people became a little weary.” The Rev. H. Winslow, pastor of Bowdoin-street Church, also remarks, on the effect of their use : “ They seem to increase the interest of the meetings; of course make them more fully attended, and thus have operated favorably in extending the missionary spirit and enlarg¬ ing the contributions. How much of the increase of interest in our Concerts is referable to the use of maps, I cannot say, as other causes have conspired, but I should think considerable.” Rev. H. B. Hooker also observes, of their effect : “ Much interest has in this way been excited in our Monthly Concert, and the people have expressed great satisfaction with the course. I have found such maps of special use among the young, at Concerts held with them. The interest awaked in their minds has been very gratifying. Questions to them relating to the maps, their own geographical knowledge, the moral state of the heathen, &c., have stirred up their minds and awakened their attention in a very high degree. I am persuaded that due attention to this course will be of great importance in making the people better acquainted with the missionary cause ; giving them definite concep¬ tions of the countries already occupied or to be occupied by the heralds of the cross, and associating the fields of missionary enterprise with other regions of the world 17 already and perhaps better known to them. I think also that as the maps of various countries are exhibited for missionary purposes, there will be an excellent opportu- nity to glance at the various political relations of those countries to each other, and the most important events occurring in them from time to time, and the bearing of these events upon the interests of the kingdom of God. Thus the providences of God may be noticed in connec¬ tion with the moral condition and prospects of the world ; while the great cause of missions may become associated in the minds of men with the political and providential occurrences of the times, and thus acquire interest, when, but for some such association, there would have been little or none. For example, a Monthly Concert, with a map of China before the audience, might be made deeply interesting by showing its position in relation to surrounding nations, as Siam, Thibet, Japan, neighbor¬ ing islands, &c.; showing the present aspect of affairs in the contest with Great Britain, with a brief history of the opium trade and its pernicious effects.” Writing at a more recent date, Mr. Hooker observes: “ More attend than formerly, and much larger collections are taken up. Persons out of the church are much inter¬ ested, and are regularly present; and I think their inter¬ est is increased by the use of maps, and the various interesting discussions to which their use give rise. This course very much interests the young. I think its influence over this class will be exceeding happy. God has been and is now pouring out his Spirit upon this class among us ; and I intend no pains shall be spared to have the missionary spirit diffused among them. Our Concerts powerfully aid this.” It appears one very great encouragement to pastors to adopt this system, that it is so easy to interest religious assemblies in it; to hold attention for any length of time proper to be devoted to it; and greatly to assist the conceptions of hearers relative to a given portion of the great field, in various points. Christians need to know when and what the country is, and the condition of its inhabitants, for whose enlightening with the gospel they are to give their contributions and offer their prayers. If it is mapped out before their eyes, and described in its 18 moral conditions, they will receive deeper impressions than it is possible for them to gain through the mere reading or hearing of statements, however well drawn up. The pastor last quoted has suggested another point for consideration, of great importance, and which appears the result of his own experience and practice : “ I think it of great importance to throw upon men’s minds, who are interested in the political aspects of the nations, as much as possible of our views of the great fact, that this world belongs to Christ ; has been redeemed by his blood ; that he is using means to reclaim it from its darkness and guilt; and that we, his ministers, are looking upon the world with the deepest interest in its affairs, for these reasons. We are looking for its moral emancipation, hailing every auspicious event with glad¬ ness, and joyfully confident that there will yet be a glori¬ ous redemption. Now the use of maps naturally and easily suggests many interesting facts respecting the state of the nations. While the eye is upon them, it is easy to make a happy use of great events in their politi¬ cal history, and their past and present condition, as related to the growing kingdom of the Redeemer. In this way we may incline numbers, who have not been accustomed to such trains of thought, to consider the moral bear¬ ings of the events which are occurring in various parts of the world.” IV. Practicability of this course of Missionary Instruc¬ tions , by Pastors of Churches. This committee anticipate the questions, “ Are you not proposing a plan for the conduct of the Monthly Concert, which will make a heavy addition to the studies and public labors of pastors? Will it not unreasonably tax the health, strength and time of some ministers, and interfere with the other and stated duties of the minis¬ try? On this point also, we have and give the views of pastors. Rev. Mr. Aiken remarks, respecting the meet¬ ing held in Park Street Church : “ This Concert owes much of its interest to the labors of Dr. Anderson, one of the Secretaries of the Board, who regularly attends it; yet the service done by him is such as may be per- 19 formed by any pastor, who will use the maps, avail him¬ self of the common sources of information, and give the requisite attention to the subject.” Rev. Mr. Winslow, in reply to a question particularly put to him on this point, observes : “ I see not why all pastors may not use them.” “It is my opinion, that they may be introduced to advantage in all Concerts. The experiments having been successfully made, nothing remains for pastors to learn, except what they will easily learn by experience.” But we would farther say, we feel confident that no pastor, after having carefully and diligently made the experiment for three months, or even for a single Con¬ cert, will feel any difficulty on this point. Those labors in which the heart with all its best feelings of benev- olence has become interested, are rendered light and easy of performance. They come to be esteemed a pleasure which cannot be sacrificed, instead of being accounted toils burdensome, and to be avoided. And this brings us to another point. V. The interest of Missionary Studies to the mind of the Pastor , in Preparation for the Monthly Concert. No lecturer, in any of the departments of science and learning, enjoys higher satisfaction in his studies, than may the pastor with a true missionary spirit, in those of which we speak. “ The field is the world,” over which he can expatiate, and in which he can prosecute his researches. If he is capable of being interested in the study of mankind, in their various conditions, and the study of the gospel as adapted to the wants of mankind, and is willing to study, he will find himself compensated at every step of his prosecution of this course. Let pastors speak on this point, who have tried the experi¬ ments stated in this paper. The Rev. Mr. Barnes will doubtless be regarded a good witness. “ I know not,” he observes, “ that I have ever pursued a course of studies that has been more gratify¬ ing or more profitable to myself, than this. Whatever may have been the effect upon my people, I have always felt myself abundantly repaid for all the toil which the preparation has cost me. I am persuaded that no pastor 20 can pursue a method somewhat like this, without great interest and advantage to himself, and without utility to the missionary cause.” The Rev. Mr. Aiken says: “The hours given to a faithful preparation for this meeting, the pastor will soon regard as among the most profitably spent in his life.” Rev. Mr. Adams observes : “ Pastors would find their own knowledge of geography revived ; definite impres¬ sions respecting missionary fields fixed in their own minds, with enlarged views of the relations which the several stations bear to adjacent countries; and much assistance would be afforded them in giving variety, and suggesting incidents, and connecting important miscella¬ neous knowledge with the services of the Concert.” Rev. Mr. Hooker, of Falmouth, says : “ I see not why this course may not be every where adopted ; at least the occasional use of maps. It will cost the pastors some extra hard work to push this matter along, and draw from it all the good it is capable of furnishing. But they are called to it by the exigency of the times. Be¬ lieving, as I do, that the Concert is a powerful agency for increasing the missionary spirit among our congrega¬ tions, I feel that we should make the most of it. I can¬ not forbear saying that the reaction of this system on the pastor himself is eminently valuable. He cannot study out a Monthly Concert subject, with a map, and with a purpose of using it, without giving an order, clearness, and definiteness to his own ideas, which he would be able to gain in scarcely any other way. It will fix his¬ torical facts; the relation of countries and places to each other; interesting incidents in the progress of a mission, &c., and will fix them in his mind, and prove of great advantage in better qualifying him for his impor¬ tant work as connected with the conversion of the world.” The Rev. Mr. Crosby, on this point, asks : “ Where is the pastor who does not wish his people to be familiar with the details of the missionary enterprise ? If they see him interested, they will soon catch at least a portion of his spirit and feel the value of intelligence. And then, in the acquisition of such knowledge, there is an expand¬ ing, elevating influence. It liberalizes the mind ; arms 21 it against the arts of the sophist, and shields it against the power of the objectors to missions. After all, its influence upon the minister himself is perhaps the most valuable. Keeping himself thus fully informed on the subject of missions, he feels a more lively interest in them. In the progress of time, he acquires a large amount of geographical and historical information, and all in the regular discharge of his ministerial duties.” With such testimony from pastors who have probably as little time for extra labor as any men in our country, it is believed that our brethren, pastors, will be convinced that they are not only called to consider it as a practica¬ ble system of studies and efforts, but that they are invited into a field of research and labor, presenting promise of most rich satisfaction to their own hearts, and most invaluable improvement to their own minds. If any thing need be added to the strength of this conviction, it can be furnished in the language of one of the pastors (Rev. H. B. Hooker) from whom testimony under this head has already been given, and whose preparations for the Monthly Concert probably fit him as much as any man to delight in this department of labor. “ I love,” says he, “ to stand before a map of a nation, and espe¬ cially before a map of the world, and, pointing the audi¬ ence to it, to say, ‘ There are the regions, the continents, the islands of a fallen world. Our Redeemer is their rightful possessor, though the present ruler is the prince of darkness. We are wresting them from Satan by our missionary triumphs. We have set up the standard of redeem in or love, here and there. We have this nation now sitting at His feet, ‘ whose right it is to reign ; ’ and that is beorinninof to humble itself before him. We have a little spot on this dark continent illumined with his gospel, and on that benighted island we have ‘ set up our banner.’ We have made openings into the realms of sin and death, and our beloved missionary co-workers are there, distributing the bread and the waters of life. The world is our Lord’s, and we are conquering it for Him. There it is ; a vast field ; but through his power and grace we shall prostrate every idol, break down every strong hold, and cause every knee to bow to ‘ the Prince of peace.’ ” 22 VI. Construction of Maps and Methods of Use. Statements on this point have been necessarily in¬ cluded in some of the accounts of experiments given under another head. A few suggestions will be given, the result of experiments by one of this committee in the preparation of sketches upon the white board. The dimensions and construction of the board have been given. Upon this, maps can be drawn of sufficient size and distinctness of delineation, to be seen, with ease, in the most distant parts of an ordinary church or lecture room. This work consists simply in copying, on an enlarged scale, maps of continents, countries, or groups of islands, &,c., from any good Atlas. The first, and indeed principal part of the work, is the accurate draw¬ ing of the lines of latitude and longitude. These, of course, must be only the same in number and relative demarkation upon a surface of seven feet by five, as upon a common quarto page of an Atlas ; and accurate measurements, in the use of dividers and a seven foot measure marked in inches, will be necessary ; and then the careful drawing of the lines of latitude and longi- tude. This last can be done in the use of the seven feet measure, of course, where strait lines are to be made; and in the use of a cord, having one end fixed at the proper centre and the other end with a pencil fixed in it at such a distance from the centre, that when the sweep of the cord is made with the pencil, it shall describe upon the board a line of proper curvature. Or this may be done with the seven feet measure, if made thin and of elastic material, by bending or springing it to the proper degree of curvature, and then drawing the lines by it with a pencil. The lines of latitude and longitude accurately drawn, the next part of the process is to draw, with a common lead pencil, and by the eye, with the Atlas map before you, the shores, boundary lines, and other princi¬ pal features of the district required. Passing on from one square, made by the lines of latitude and longitude, to another, and making each square on an enlarged scale, to contain precisely as much as is laid down in the same square on the Atlas map, and no more, the enlarged draught is accomplished with ease and correct- 23 ness, and the way then prepared for sketching rivers, mountains, subordinate divisions of the country, and making the locations of principal cities, missionary sta¬ tions, and other important objects. Thus much done with a common lead pencil, the next step in the process is—in the use of a camel-hair brush, and with water colors, (which are strongest and most easily visible by contrast with the white surface of the board)—to trace over all the lines of shores, &c., which have been made with the pencil. For this India ink should be used first, and then vermillion or some other color of like vividness, drawn in close parallel with these. The difficulty of making water colors adhere to the oil paint surface of the board, is obviated by having first rubbed it over with a sponge dipped in alkali or a strong solution of soap and water, and allowed to dry. The shading necessary to be done along the shores of oceans, seas and lakes, and around islands, is best done with a lead pencil, in the use of light strokes such as will be made in the horizon¬ tal play of the hand, and which after a very little prac¬ tice will be done with ease and rapidity. The inscribing of names of districts, cities, rivers, &c., will be best done with a small camel-hair brush, in th 3 use of India ink. The time required to draw such a map depends upon the ingenuity and skill of the person who does it. Almost any person will acquire, in the preparation of two or three such sketches, a facility which will make it easy to accomplish a sketch in a short time ; and so that if a new map even every month be necessary, it shall be easy to have it, with only the expense of a few hours time and labor. It is here suggested, that it is well to have this descrip¬ tion of maps drawn with neatness and in good taste, and made agreeable to the eye, in their whole appear¬ ance ; and to be in all points as much like the Atlas maps from which they are drawn as possible. The face of the board, if properly painted, will present to the eye, at a little distance, a surface much resembling drawing paper; and a map neatly and accurately executed upon it, will make upon the eye of the observer an impression even of beauty. And nothing of this kind is ever lost upon a religious assembly, if done in good taste. The 24 face of the white board may need a new coat of paint once in a year, which is easily given. If time be not at the pastor’s command for the draw¬ ing of the maps, his studies of the field to be laid down can be done by an Atlas map ; while he deputes the labor of drawing to some of the young members of his church, to whom it may be a most useful geographical exercise, and in time a pleasant employment. The necessity, also, of their giving attention to some inter¬ esting field for missions, followed by listening to a lec¬ ture upon it at the Monthly Concert by the pastor, may kindle up in some hearts the missionary spirit, and prove the commencement of the preparation of some of the younger sons and daughters of the church to go forth on the errand of Christian love to the perishing in the “ ends of the earth.” The methods of exhibiting maps before an assembly are perhaps sufficiently indicated in the statements of experiments already given. The general advice may be here given, that their advantageous exhibitions should be studied in the various particulars of fixtures for their suspension, position, light, height from the general level of the audience, &c. On this subject, valuable hints will be found in the pamphlet by the Rev. Joseph Tracy, designed as a Key to the map of Western Asia, recently prepared by him.* It will not be difficult for any pastor to provide himself with maps from which to take sketches for monthly use, on the white board. The Atlasses now published with school geographies will furnish him with some. The larger ones designed for family libraries, will add to these. Maps will also be found in the volumes of Dr. Robinson, of Rev. Messrs. Smith and Dwight, and many others. The maps of smaller districts and missionary * This committee take great pleasure in recommending to their breth¬ ren, pastors, and to the churches, the new and beautiful map above men¬ tioned, and now to some extent in use in Monthly Concerts. Embracing as it does, upon an extended scale, some of the most interesting fields of missions into which this Board have entered, and so well adapted for ref¬ erence in the communication of current missionary intelligence from month to month, it is an article without which no pastor and church should be willing to pass a Monthly Concert. It is gratifying to learn that this map is to be followed, (if properly patronized,) with others 5 of the world, on an extended scale, and of the various portions of it; and is to furn¬ ish, when the series is completed, a set of maps adapted in every practi¬ cable way, to give interest to the Monthly Concert. (See Appendix.) 25 t stations, like the Sandwich Islands, Ceylon, and others, and which have been published in a pamphlet form by the American Board ; the Cerographic ma,ps, published by the editors of the New York Observer; and, in short, almost all descriptions of maps and charts to be met with, can be made valuable by any pastor who will take pains to collect them, in order to constitute a stock from which to draw his sketches, from month to month. VII. Books of Reference, for Use in the Preparation of Lectures for the Monthly Concert. It may be questioned, by our brethren, pastors, whether the want of books of reference, in sufficient number and of the proper kind, for use in the preparation of lectures, may not be an obstacle in the way of the plans proposed in this paper. We would reply, that the libraries of most pastors probably contain some books of the kind needed. Almost any pastor in New England, it may be presumed, has, or can collect, in the families of his parishioners, one com¬ plete series of the Missionary Herald, which is almost a missionary library in itself. From the books of authen¬ tic travellers, though their objects may have been explor¬ ing for scientific, commercial, or political purposes, and which may be found in the libraries of parishioners, or in the libraries of societies or lyceums to which he has access, he will be able to derive information respecting many portions of the world. But what books he cannot obtain thus, or afford to purchase from his own purse, he can perhaps obtain in still another way. Every church, in these days, which would cherish the spirit of Chris¬ tian missions in itself, and help in this great cause, should provide itself with a Missionary Library. This is one of the ways in which churches should show that they design to “ live for the world,” as to be converted to Christ] 3 Without lessening their contributions to send forth and sustain missionaries, they can, in one year, lay a foundation for such a library, in the purchase of a few volumes carefully selected. This may be increased by the presentation of books from family libraries; and thenceforward, from year to year increased by appropria¬ tions from the church treasury, or by contributions for this particular purpose, to be laid out by the pastor and 3 26 deacons for purchase of new and valuable books, such as are suitable for such a library. And almost before he would know it, a pastor may, in these several ways, find himself surrounded with sufficient helps, so far as books of reference are concerned, to begin his course of Monthly Concert lectures to advantage ; and would find his stock increasing from year to year. Additional to this help to the missionary studies of the pastor, would be this advantage also, that the members of the church and the intelligent and reading portion of his congrega¬ tion, could have access to this library for half of each month, to get books to read ; while the rules for return¬ ing books might place them all in his hands in season to make his preparations for the coming Concert. That church must be poor indeed, whose members are unable to place thus, in the hands of their pastor, the means for preparing to impart to them interesting and profitable instruction at the Monthly Concert. It will be found also of great assistance, doubtless, to every pastor who can take a religious weekly journal, added to the Missionary Herald and the Dayspring; that the commercial enterprise of this active age is bringing to us intelligence respecting other and distant portions of the world, and which is industriously gleaned for the religious press, and brought to our doors every week. Amidst this “ running to and fro,” of the men of the world as well as the missionaries of the cross, “ knowl¬ edge is increased.” And any pastor who remembers the Monthly Concert every time he reads his religious news¬ paper, and notes facts and occurences, will find that he does not lack, even in that, valuable matters of refer¬ ence. In short, a pastor with the true missionary spirit, and keeping his eyes open, will derive aid from many and often unanticipated sources, for this object. For the convenience of pastors and churches, disposed to try the experiment of a Missionary Library, a few w T orks will here be mentioned : Encyclopaedia of Geog¬ raphy, 3 vols. ; Tracy’s History of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, second edi¬ tion; History of American Missions, by Tracy and others ; Choule’s History of Missions ; Stewart and Dib¬ ble’s Sandwich Islands; Southgate’s Armenia and Per- 27 sia ; Dr. Grant on the Nestorians; Medhurst’s China ; An¬ derson’s Peloponnesus ; Smith and Dwight’s Researches in Armenia; Read’s Christian Brahman; History of South Sea Missions, (by Mrs. Smith, of Middlebury, Vt.;) Dr. Robinson’s Researches in Palestine; the Memoirs of Brainard, Martyn, Parsons, Fisk, Buchanan, Mrs. Winslow, Mrs. Judson, Mrs. Smith, and other mission¬ aries; Winslow’s History of Missions; Ellis’s Polynesian Researches ; Jowett’s Christian Researches in Syria and the Holy Land ; Tyerman and Bennet’s Journal; Wil¬ liam’s Missionary Enterprises ; Long’s View ; the Voyages of Bougoinvilie, Cook, La Perousa; the Geographies of Make Brun and Bell; Plarris’s Great Commission, &c. &c. Should it be apprehended by any of our brethren, pastors, that in such a course of lecturing at Monthly Concerts, there will be liability of exhausting the cata¬ logue of subjects, this committee would observe, that a few experiments made in the preparation of lectures, and these experiments made in the diligence, thorough¬ ness and patience of research appropriate in the exami¬ nation of any subject of knowledge, will put that ques¬ tion at rest. The studies of a pastor, for the instruction of his people at the Monthly Concert, on their duties to dying men, are studies of the world , in its almost in¬ numerable diversities of condition, physical, moral, spirit¬ ual, social and political ; in its exhibitions of character, various almost to infinity ; in its errors, delusions and deceits, innumerable ; and in its forms and phases of unhappiness and wretchedness, like the sands on the sea shore, like the stars in the sky, which cannot be reck¬ oned up. There is presented, in truth, to the eye of every pastor, in this subject, almost a new science; a department of knowledge and instruction having all the interest and attractions of entire newness. If a pastor cannot expect to exhaust the gospel , as a system of instruction for a world of lost men, not much more can he expect to exhaust the subjects of study which enter into the condition of this world as a field for the spread of that gospel. The young pastor, with the spirit of a missionary, and the love of research which belongs with this spirit, may begin this month his researches, and 28 continue them, and bring forth from one month to another, till the frosts of “ three score years and ten, and fourscore years 55 shall have whitened his locks ; and even then cease from these studies and labors and lie down on his dying bed, conscious of it, and saying it, “ I have but begun the study of the world as the field for the dis¬ play of the power and the triumphs of ‘ the gospel of the grace of God. 5 55 Concluding Remarks. The inquiry has been considerably agitated, in past years, how shall the Monthly Concert be rendered more interesting and profitable ? And many a one of you, brethren, pastors, has probably said in himself, u how shall I bring the people of my charge adequately to un¬ derstand and feel the true condition of this dying world, and to pray and act as they ought for its conversion to Christ? 55 It is our hope that something has been done, in the foregoing statements, towards answering these questions. The inquiries have been virtually made in our churches, “ who are the destitute on whose behalf we are to pray, and to send the gospel to whom we are to contribute ? Where are they ? What their numbers, condition, errors, prospects for eternity ? What has been done for them ? And what remains to be done ? ” The pastor who adopts the course of instrumentalities now recommended, will find that he is in the way to answer such inquiries to his people ; and to keep the answers so before their eyes and their minds, that they shall be effectually influenced, in their prayers and their contributions, in aid of the world’s conversion. If it should seem to any, at first sight, that too much is pro¬ posed and asked of them, in the plan of studies and efforts now presented, we would earnestly urge them not to dismiss the subject without trying the plan, and in the conclusion that they can do nothing. What have our Monthly Concerts been in past years, brethren, com¬ pared with what it now appears, from fair experiment, they might be rendered ? Have we not lost time ; and is not the enterprise of missions far behind the point of progress which it might have reached, in serious fact 29 through the want of more done to give interest and effi¬ ciency to this meeting ? The spirit of missions in our churches, brethren, depends much upon how we preach to our congregations on its behalf; but it alsodepends very much on the means which we use, in the Monthly Concert, to stir them up to prayer and effort. The time seems to have arrived, in the providence of God, for both pastors and churches to enter into the great enterprise of missions with an earnestness, zeal, and solemn consecration of spirit, beyond what has ever been before manifested. To this end, if we mistake not, we who are pastors must become, beyond any thing we have been before, students of the great subject of missions ; and our churches must be “ Societies of In¬ quiry ” on this great subject, whom we must meet, from month to month, with the results of study and research, which shall make them intelligent for the offering of prayer, and liberal in the bestowment of alms. Our churches will keep pace with our advances in this mat¬ ter. The pastors who have tried the methods recom¬ mended in this paper, have found their churches awaking from the slumbers of indifference ; and listening, pray¬ ing, and giving as they never have done before. It is reasonable to believe, that no pastor will put forth his efforts thus in vain. And the fidelity and earnestness and diligence in missionary studies, of pastors, may be contemplated, with good confidence, as the means, through the Divine blessing, of giving new and mighty impulses to the missionary spirit in the churches, and of prompting to efforts more principled, systematic, power¬ ful, and on a scale far more enlarged and commensurate with the magnitude of the object before us, than ever yet has been. In saying these things, brethren, we have virtually said that the pastors of churches are mainly responsible for the depth and strength of the missionaryspirit in the churches. We mean to say it, distinctly and solemnly. Pastorship, in every point of view, involves high and solemn responsibilities; for the purity of the churches in the faith, practice, and order of the gospel, and for all else which conduces to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ in a Christian land. But just as directly and 3 * 30 solemnly does pastorship also involve responsibility for what the church shall be, as a body pledged, for the propagation of the gospel through the world, in obedience to the high command of her ascended Lord. This may seem like adding to that pressure under which, hitherto, and in view of labors for souls immediately around them, pastors have been saying, “ Who is sufficient for these things ? ” But brethren, let us remember him, our Master, who stood under the mighty pressure of responsibility for the enterprise of the salvation of a world from ruin; and who, to every minister of his, under the pressure of deepest consciousness of responsi¬ bility, speaks that word so full of encouragement, “ My grace is sufficient for thee.’ 5 Need we then hesitate or shrink a moment from the work proposed? What more do we need of inducement or of encouragement to enter into it? For what were the minds of men made, brethren, but to be put upon the intensest stretch of effort of which they are capable, and which is called for by the word and the providences of God, in order to the more rapid advancement of the kingdom of righteous¬ ness and peace on the earth? For what is the grace of God given us, and through it perception of responsibility for the faithful discharge of our trusts, but that we may be impelled and move forward in an unceasing, untiring outlay of our whole strength, in the work we have to do for a dying world? We and our churches expect it of the missionaries we send forth that they will act thus, under our auspices and the command of Christ. And brethren, our Master expects us to do the same ; and to incite our churches to do so, in our duties and labors at home, for sustaining our brethren and strengthening their hands abroad. And here we are brought to another point, of vital importance to the future advancement of the cause of missions; which is, that there should be no disparity be¬ tween the tone of the missionary spirit at home, and the same in the hearts of our best missionaries whom we send abroad. If it be true, in natural philosophy, that the stream never can rise higher than the fountain, then we may regard it as also true, as a general fact, that our mission¬ aries abroad will be what we their pastors are at home. % 31 Pastors and churches at home, must be accustomed to “ see eye to eye ” with our best missionaries in the field ; and to labor, “ hand to hand, and heart to heart ” with those devoted servants of Christ and the church, whom we have sent “ far hence unto the Gentiles.” Have we not felt, brethren, sometimes, when their appeals have come home to us, and when they themselves have come home and spoken to us, that there is too wide a disparity between the conceptions of their minds and the fervor and earnestness of their desires for the conversion of men, and those of many of us who “ dwell among our own people,” and under the vines and fig-trees of this land of our privileges. When we see some of them “ face to face,” and perceive how men think, feel and speak, who have come up out of “ the land of the shadow of death ” to tell us of the wants and woes which are there, and of the need that we feel more deeply, and pray more fer¬ vently, and give more liberally, we are made ashamed of ourselves, and to be conscious that we are but half awake to the magnitude of the enterprise in which we profess to be engaged. But let the pastors cultivate, with steadiness and assiduity, the spirit of missions in their own breasts, and enter with diligence, enterprise and pains-taking into the study of missions, as a part of their duty as ministers of the Lord Jesus; let their instructions to their churches, from the pulpit, at proper intervals, and always in the Monthly Concert, be such as shall transfer them, in thought, to the lands of dark¬ ness, and help them to look on the miseries of men with¬ out the gospel, and almost to hear the sighs of the cap¬ tives of Satan, and also let them show their churches what God hath wrought through efforts thus far made, and in answer to prayers offered, and the encouragements thus given them to “ go forward ” in the work ; let these things be done, and it cannot fail that the ministry and the church at home will come into a nearer conformity to the pattern of Christ, to the spirit of“ the Lord of the harvest; ” and be prepared to sympathize more inti¬ mately with their missionaries, and to sustain them more efficiently in their arduous work. When this shall be, it will not be needful to say to the Christian in the land of his privileges, “ awake thou that sleepest; ” or that re- 32 quests to the church for her prayers and her contributions, shall be made in painful doubt and uncertainty whether she will render them. She will not suffer her Lord to point out to her her duty in vain; nor his servants to ask her to do it, in vain. There will be the promptitude and energy of Christian action which fervent Christian be¬ nevolence inspires, fed by the Holy Spirit of God in the souls of his sealed ones. The cries of our brethren from their fields would be anticipated, and they made to feel that “ though we be absent from them in the flesh, yet we are with them in the spirit; ” that in nothing are we coming behind their own consecration of spirit to this great and high enterprise, the' evangelization of the world. There will not be heard in all the church at home, the question whether the pictures of moral desola¬ tion given by our missionaries are not overdrawn, and whether there is not needless earnestness and loudness in the voices of our missionaries. The church, instructed thus by her pastors ; her eye kept on the desolations of the earth ; her ear kept attent on the voices from afar ; and her heart and conscience plied with the appeals of duty, and of encouragement to its faithful performance ; she will not be able to withhold her hands from her work, not to keep her voice from supplication to her God, nor to hoard up her treasures to be “ cankered.” The mis¬ sionary spirit will have close affinity with all her enjoy¬ ments of her privileges and of her precious and lively hopes. And truly, to her “ to live will be Christ.” The object of her establishment in this dark world will be answered ; her Mighty Redeemer and God will be hon¬ ored ; and her own preparation delightfully advanced, to “ enter into the joy of her Lord,” and into “ the rest which remaineth for the people of God.” Christian Brethren, Pastors of the Churches patronising the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis- sions, shall these things come to pass ? Do your hearts desire them ? Shall your prayers be for them ? And more, shall the methods by which we have endeavored to show you that these results can be reached, have the sanction of your adoption among your respective charges? Shall this be done speedily ? Shall the years next coming on, show, that in the use of these means you are moving 33 onward perseveringly, intently, unitedly, and the churches with you ; delighting to be laborers together with Christ; and knowing no joy so sweet as in his service ; having no hope so lively as “ hope of the glory of God,” of the triumphs of the “ King of kings and Lord of lords,” and of that glorious consummation, “ the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ?” The Board, on whose behalf we ad¬ dress you, will wait for your reply. But, brethren, one higher than any earthly board ,—the Lord of missions icaits your reply. In behalf of the A. B. C. F. Missions, E. W. HOOKER, ) ALBERT BARNES, > Committee. DANIEL CROSBY, ) / APPENDIX. In the following letter addressed to the Chairman of the Committee, who prepared the preceding document, the Rev. Mr. Tracy enumerates the maps which will probably make up his series for the Monthly Concert, when completed. Boston, June 6 , 1842. Rev. and Dear Sir : I expect that my series of Monthly Concert Maps will contain, 1. A Map of the World, on hemispheres of three feet in diameter. On this I am now engaged, and am finishing some parts of it more carefully and slowly, in the hope of diminish¬ ing the necessity for local maps. For example, I hope to get down the missions in the Oregon territory, so that a distinct map of that territory will not be needed. 2. A Map of Western Asia and parts adjacent, already pub¬ lished. 3. A Map of “India within the Ganges,” including Ceylon of course, and probably Caubul and Afghanistan, and perhaps Persia, so as to connect with the map of Western Asia. 4. A Map of South Eastern Asia, including the Malayan Archipelago, Siam, and the south part, at least, of China. The necessary extent of this map can better be determined after the map of the world is completed, as I can then see what parts need to be shown on a larger scale. The same remark will apply to several maps. 5. A Map of Western Africa, and another of Southern Africa; or a map of that whole continent, unless the several 35 parts of that continent should show plainly enough on the Map of the World. 6 . A Map of Syria and Palestine, embracing the late dis¬ coveries of Robinson and Smith, and the still later surveys of the British army. 7. Such smaller maps as may be called for; for example, the Sandwich Islands; the Tamil country; the District of Jaffna; Siam. The publication of these will depend on the call for them. Probably, the plan will be considerably modified, as one part of the world after another is subjected to a close examination. The maps are to be as few and cheap as will answer the pur¬ pose. Yours truly, JOSEPH TRACY. MONTHLY CONCERT. The following letter from the Rev. John Richards, of Hanover, IN. H., published in the Vermont Chronicle, of July 20, 1842, describes a method of conducting the Monthly Concert, which is worthy of considera¬ tion by the pastors. It would have perhaps the following advantages : 1. It would set intelligent and influential members of the church to the study of missionary subjects, for their own good. 2. It would turn to account their talents, and Christian feelings, and influence, in the churches, for the cause of missions. 3. It would give variety to the Concerts, whereby minds of different cast might be interested. 4. If the missionary spirit has place in the pastor, it will through the aid of such brethren, with the divine blessing, be communicated to other members of the church. The Monthly Concert of the church in Dartmouth College has for the past four years, been regularly increasing in its interest, and in so great a degree as to be worthy of some re¬ marks. For the years ending June, 1835-6-7-8, the contributions 30 averaged $100 a year, and the attendance was small. In 1839, the evening was changed from Monday to Sabbath evening. A committee was appointed to communicate intelligence. To each member of this committee some portion of the world was assigned, from whom was expected, every evening, some intel¬ ligence or remarks respecting it. This committee have been faithful in the duties assigned them, and the consequence has been, that the attendance has increased so much that for a year past it has very nearly equalled the attendance of the regular meeting of the Sabbath, forenoon and afternoon. The contri¬ butions also testify to the increase of interest. In 1839 they were $125 ; 1840, $168 ; 1841, $210 ; 1842, $265. Every church must judge from its own circumstances of the expediency of holding the Monthly Concert Monday evening or Sabbath evening; but of the expediency of having some system of providing and communicating intelligence, there cannot be a question. That a number should have something to say each evening, is better than that an individual should occupy the whole time appropriated to remarks and narrative. Variety is desirable here. The field of the world is becoming daily more interesting to the church, and from the monthly and weekly journals of the religious press, there can be no want of materials for the purpose of the Monthly Concert. Let every church do its duty in this matter and this meeting will be increased in efficiency for good to Zion. 7 # Jji'jb r • *v $ $