GENERAL SURVEY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ItlSSIONS OP THE MERICAN BOARD OP COMMISSIONERS POR 
 
 POREIGN MISSIONS. 
 
 PliESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING AT PITTSBURGH, OCTOBER 5, 1869. 
 
 The past year has been rather one of sustained general interest, 
 and of preparation for the future ; with enough of trial and embar¬ 
 rassment at certain points to mark the church militant, and to lead to 
 a renewed sense of dependence upon the’ Divine blessing, and with 
 enough of success to cheer the heart and to prompt to new and 
 greater efforts to secure the final victory. 
 
 One ordained missionary, and two female assistant missionaries, 
 have been called to rest from their labors ; the veteran Dr. King, so 
 long the honored representative of our work in Greece, Mrs. Saun¬ 
 ders, who had but recently returned to Ceylon, in the hope of years of 
 active labor for the women of that country, and Mrs. Riggs, after 
 many years of rare self-sacrificing devotion to the social and religious 
 welfare of the Indian tribes of the northwest. Seven ordained 
 missionaries have ceased to be connected with the Board. Nine 
 missionaries and three single ladies have come home for rest and the 
 recovery of health, most of whom expect to return to the missionary 
 work. Seven returned missionaries, who were with us a year ago, 
 have gone back to their several fields of labor, and forty-three new 
 laborers have entered upon the work,—including thirteen ordained 
 missionaries, two missionary physicians, one lay assistant, and eleven 
 single ladies. They were distributed as follows:—to Western Tur¬ 
 key, 10 ; Central Turkey, 2 ; Eastern Turkey, 5; Syria, 4 ; Mahratta 
 mission, 2 ; Madura, 3 ; Ceylon, 3 ; Foochow, 1 ; North China, 10 ; 
 Seneca Indians, 2 ; Dakota Indians, 1. After deducting from the 
 list the names of those now at home who are not expected to return, 
 and of one of the ladies, recently married, there remain 352 male 
 and female missionaries connected with the Board, of whom 145 are 
 ordained missionaries, 7 missionary physicians, and 44 unmarried 
 females,—a net gain in all of 20 laborers, as compared with last year. 
 
2 
 
 ■WOMAN’S BOARD OF MISSIONS. 
 
 The support of eighteen of the female missionaries has been assum¬ 
 ed by the Woman’s Board of Missions; of thirteen by the Board 
 located at Boston, and five by the Board for the Interior, located at 
 Chicago. The success of this effort on the part of the Christian women 
 of our churches is one of the most encouraging events of the year. 
 The moral support they give their sisters on missionary ground by 
 their lively sympathy and prayer, is of the utmost value, and most 
 fully appreciated. Many a lonely hour is cheered, and many a trial 
 more bravely met, by the assurance that they are remembered in praying 
 circles of their sex at home. The best Christian feeling finds expres¬ 
 sion in the remark, Somebody’s heart in this far off laud was very 
 warm because of the assurance that it was specially prayed for in 
 other places than in our little chapel at Mardin.” 
 
 AFRICA. 
 
 Mr. Walker remains alone in the Gaboon^ as Mr. Bushnell has 
 again been obliged to seek the recovery of health and vigor in a less 
 trying climate. For more than a quarter of a century these brethren 
 have struggled on against every odds,—a debilitating climate, the 
 vices without the virtues of European traders, the intrigues of Roman¬ 
 ists, added to all the corruptions and deceit of a most debasing super¬ 
 stition. They are the forlorn hope of the missionary service, and if 
 their hearts should ever fail them, it will not be till the last resource 
 of hope has been exhausted. 
 
 The Zulu mission has not escaped its trials. Tendencies to revert 
 to the old usages of heathenism, and to a low religious life, on the 
 part of some of the professed followers of Christ, have excited the 
 fears of the missionaries. On the other hand, the success of the 
 training school, in charge of Mr. Ireland, gives promise at no distant 
 day of an efficient corps of native helpers ; movements are in pro¬ 
 gress to develop a livelier sense of personal responsibility on the part 
 of the native Christians ; Mrs. Lloyd continues with unabated zeal 
 in her self-denying labors ; Mrs. Edwards rejoices in tokens of special 
 favor on her boarding school for girls ; Umbyana more than fulfills 
 the expectations of the mission by the‘results of his labors among 
 his countrymen ; additions to the churches show that missionary effort 
 is not without return ; and great numbers are becoming intellectually 
 familiar with the truths of the gospel, waiting now for the Holy Spirit 
 to quicken them into life. 
 
 GREECE. 
 
 For many years Dr. King had been known as “ the mission to 
 Greece.” The work developed by him has gradually been taken up 
 by his pupils, and with them has passed under the care of the Ameri- 
 
3 
 
 can and Foreign Christian Union. The office of Dr. King was pre¬ 
 eminently that of a witness to the truth—to the simplicity of the 
 gospel as opposed to a cumbrous ritual ; to the Word of God as 
 0 }tposed to the traditions of men ; and to the rights of conscience as 
 opposed to ecclesiastical oppression. His witness was not in vain, 
 lie was permitted to see the Scriptures in the hands of the people ; 
 to receive courtesies from men in authority whose predecessors had 
 loaded him with every indignity, and at last to feel that the way was 
 opened for the free proclamation of the gospel by men trained up 
 under his care. 
 
 No missionary of the Board has been more widely known, and few 
 have surpassed him in varied learning, and in the amount of literary 
 labor in many languages. Time only can rev’eal the influence of 
 Jonas King in preparing the way for the establishment of a purer 
 faith in that classic land. 
 
 THE ARMENIAN MISSIONS. 
 
 The three Armenian missions embrace a territory more than half 
 as large as that portion of the United States east of the Mississippi 
 River. It includes a portion of European Turkey on the west, the 
 whole of Asia Minor, and extends to Persia on the east, and Syria 
 and Arabia on the south. The evangelization of this region has been 
 left almost exclusively to the American Board, and is carried ou by 
 forty-six missionaries, residing at twenty-one principal stations, and 
 by native preachers and pastors at one hundred and seventy out-sta¬ 
 tions. Twenty unmarried ladies are engaged in special labors in 
 behalf of their sex. Sixty-five churches have been gathered—now 
 under the care of forty-one native pastors, wholly or in part sup¬ 
 ported by their own people. To these churches three hundred new 
 members were added on profession of their faith the past year, 
 making an aggregate membership of about three thousand. Other 
 professed believers will be organized into churches as soon as- pastors 
 can be set over them and the people are prepared for the duties and 
 responsibilities of such a relation. The average attendance upon 
 public worship on the Sabbath is about eleven thousand, and upon 
 Sabbath school instruction, eight thousand ; while not far from six 
 thousand youth are to be found in the various schools and seminaries 
 under the care of the missionaries. The contributions to various 
 Christian objects amounted to over $15,000 in gold,—an advance of 
 $2,000 upon former years, and an average of over five dollars to 
 each church member. Progress is steadily making, in the larger part 
 of the field, in the direction of self-support and independence. The 
 local churches and the different ecclesiastical bodies which they have 
 organized, are conducting their affairs with much wisdom and good 
 judgment, and as one church after another becomes independent, the 
 
 4 
 
4 
 
 missionaries are enabled to turn their efforts to “ the regions beyond.” 
 Some of the native churclies, especially in the Central and Eastern 
 missions, have been very active in missionary labors, and the Ilarpoot 
 Evangelical Union has a mission of its own, carrying on the work of 
 evangelization at six different points in the mountain wilds of 
 Koordistan. 
 
 There has, however, been less aggressive work than usual the past 
 year, as several of the older missionaries had been obliged to visit 
 this country for rest, and nearly one half of the force in the field 
 consisted of new laborers, who had not had time to acquire the 
 language. Thus three out of four stations in the Eastern mission 
 were for a time left without a missionary, and the burden of the 
 work fell almost wholly upon three men ; and in the Central, upon 
 five. While old missionaries have been returning, new missionaries 
 arriving, old stations resumed or strengthened, and new plans form¬ 
 ing, the year has been largely one of preparation. 
 
 Yet, without anything that might be called a general revival, with 
 the exception of Constantinople and its neighborhood there has been 
 a healthful giowth in the Christian communities. Eighteen new out- 
 stations have been taken, and thirty-six out of the forty-three churches 
 in the Central and Eastern missions, and nine in the Western, have 
 reported additions to their membership, on profession of faith. The 
 largest number at any one place was in Marash, where sixty-nine new 
 members were added to two churches. 
 
 At Constantinople, the missionaries have been greatly tried by the 
 conduct of a portion of the Protestant community. The motives and 
 conduct of the missionaries in endeavoring to raise them to indepen¬ 
 dence and to the support of their own institutions, at the earliest 
 practical moment, have not been properly appreciated, and secret and 
 open enemies of the truth have improved the occasion to embarrass 
 our work. The experience of the early churches, as recorded in the 
 Acts and in the Epistles of the New Testament, finds renewed and 
 painful illustration at Constantinople. Happily the dilRculties referred 
 to are thus far almost wholly confined to the Capital and its imme¬ 
 diate neighborhood. A letter published in the August number of the 
 Missioyiary Herald^ from the Evangelical church of Marsovau to the 
 American Board, and the cordial welcome that has awaited missionaries 
 returning to their fields, and cheered the hearts of those going out for 
 the first time, attest the love and esteem generally felt, and promise 
 a hearty co-operation. 
 
 The ditferent seminaries have had an important share in the work 
 of preparation. The three theological schools,—at Marsovan, Mar¬ 
 ash and Harpoot,—have had over a hundred young men in training 
 for the ministry, of whom thirty have finished their studies and been 
 called at once to places of influence. The utmost care has been 
 
taken, while grounding these young men in the first principles of 
 knowledge, and especially of the Scriptures, to train them up to habits 
 of self denial and sacrifice for Christ, that they may be willing and 
 glad to labor as pastors and teachers of their own people, and for such 
 compensation as they may be able to give. ^ 
 
 The four female seminaries—at Eski Zaghra, Marsovan, Aintab, 
 and Ilarpoot—and the high school for girls at Marash, have been 
 educating a still larger number of girls and women, some of them the 
 wives of the young men in the theological schools. Educated Chris¬ 
 tian women are thus being prepared to illustrate, in many a village 
 and city, the value of the gospel to woman, and to labor for the social 
 and moral elevation of their sex. 
 
 The vacations have been employed by the pupils in the different 
 seminaries to a large extent in active labors, often in their native 
 villages, and with the happiest results. 
 
 A new theological seminary, with its attendant female boarding 
 school, will soon be opened at Mardin, for the Arabic-speaking peo¬ 
 ples of Mesopotamia. 
 
 More than five millions of pages of a Christian literature, in four 
 different languages, have been issued from the press under the super¬ 
 vision of Dr. Bliss. Drs. Pratt and Riggs, with the aid of a native 
 pastor from Marash, and occasional assistance of Mr. Herrick, are 
 engaged upon the great work of securing a correct and uniform 
 translation of the Scriptures into three of the languages of the Turkish 
 Empire. The Bible and a Christian literature in the native languages 
 are deemed essential to the success and permanence of evangelical 
 efforts. 
 
 The sleepless vigilance of the government and the consequent timi¬ 
 dity of inquirers have stood in the way of much effort in behalf of the 
 Moslem population. Large editions of certain religious tracts have 
 been sold, and it is to be hoped not without some result in preparing 
 the way for future labors. 
 
 More vigorous efforts are making to press the claims of the gospel 
 upon the Bulgarians. Through the persistent efforts of Messrs. Clarke 
 and Haskell, during the past ten years, eight thousand volumes of the 
 Scriptures, seven thousand other religious books, and thirty-one thou¬ 
 sand tracts have been put in circulation from the single station of 
 Phillippopolis, and a spirit of inquiry awakened in the surrounding 
 villages. 
 
 SYRIA. 
 
 The event of the year has been the organization of the Seminary 
 for the training of a native ministry. With three such men as Cal¬ 
 houn, Henry Jessup, and Eddy, in the very midst of Bible scenes, 
 little can be wanting to secure a well trained ministry for the future 
 
G 
 
 Arab church. As a fitting complement, tlie female seminary at 
 Beirut has passed under the care of Misses Everett and Carruth, who, 
 almost upon their first arrival in the country, assumed, with marked 
 success, the charge of this large and flourisliiug institution. The 
 , female school at Sidon has also been gaining in numbers and influence. 
 Add to these institutions the Syrian College already numbering nearly 
 seventy pupils, and the Christian literature issued under the super¬ 
 vision of Dr. Van Dyck, and we may find reason for the words of 
 cheer in the last general letter of the mission,—“ There has never 
 been a brighter day in the history of the Syria mission, than the 
 present. The Bible is printed in various attractive editions ; the 
 power of priestly tyranny is in a great degree broken ; thousands of 
 the people have heard the gospel message ; deputations have come 
 quite recently from different villages, asking for preachers and teach¬ 
 ers ; towns and villages long sealed against us are now open and 
 asking for missionary labor ; baptisms have begun to take place 
 among the Druzes ; even the Mohammedans are sending their children 
 to our schools ; several Christian churches have been organized, and 
 the mission has now set apart three of its members to the work of 
 training a native ministry ; while in the department of higher educa¬ 
 tion, the college and female seminary in Beirut will accomplish all 
 that Syria will need for many years to come.” 
 
 PERSIA. 
 
 The Nestorian mission feels the loss of the trusted associates who 
 have been obliged to return to this country,—of Miss Cochran, who 
 had so recently returned to the land of her birth ; of Miss Rice, the 
 associate and then the fit successor of Miss h'iske, of Mrs. Rhea, 
 now that her duties to her children have compelled her to give up 
 her valuable labors in behalf of the women of Persia; and of Dr. 
 Perkins, whose long and noble services have fully earned for him the 
 familiar title, “ the venerable.” 
 
 Dr. Perkins has seen a great work accomplished, as the result of 
 missionary toil, since he first entered that field. From 85 centres, 
 and to congregations averaging nearly 2,400 the past year, the gospel 
 is now proclaimed by more than a hundred native helpers, of whom 
 fifty-seven are licensed preachers. More than nine hundred persons 
 have professed their faith in Christ; of whom seven hundred and 
 twenty-two are now connected with the evangelical communion. The 
 Seminaries have educated hundreds of youth, whose influence is seen 
 in the general social and moral elevation of the people. More than a 
 thousand pupils are to be found in the common schools ; the press is a 
 power in the land, from which half a million pages (532,400) were 
 thrown oflf the past year. 
 
7 
 
 Fow if any among tlie Nestorians liave failed to hear the gospel 
 message ; and the mission justly feels that the time has come to 
 follow up with more earnestness the effort to evangelize other races 
 in that region. IMuch interest in the truth is shown by some of the 
 Moslems, and Mr. Labaree has already a class of seven young men in 
 training to labor among tlie Armenians scattered throughout Persia. 
 In view of this new direction of labor, the mission will hereafter be 
 known as “ the mission to Persia.” 
 
 INDIA. 
 
 The Mahratta Mission is illustrating what a few brave men can do 
 against overwhelming odds. Tlie situation is painful in the extreme 
 —five men attempting tlie work of fifteen. Many things lie along 
 that 1 would fain do promptly,” writes Bissell, weary and worn, •‘’and 
 when I cannot, my heart looks up and says—‘ Lord, thou knovvest I 
 would gladly do more if 1 could ; make me strong.’” The time has 
 come for greater effort in India, not for less. The old systems of 
 error and superstition cannot endure the flood of light that is pouring 
 in upon them from every quarter. Railways, schools, the press, the 
 new ideas on a thousand subjects of common life are too much even 
 for the Hindoos. Our brethren in the field see and feel this, and with 
 earnest entreaty beg for help to move on the enemy’s works. 
 
 The twenty-three native churches in the Mahratta mission give 
 pleasing evidence of increased devotion to the cause of Christ, and 
 are disposed to accept greater responsibility for the evangelization of 
 their countrymen. Some of the native pastors and helpers evince a 
 spirit of true, self-sacrificing consecration. As the result in part, 
 doubtless, a larger number of accessions to the churches are reported 
 than for several years before. Opportunities for labor are multiplying 
 among the women, till now an application comes to the Woman’s 
 Board of Missions for aid in the support of ten native Bible women. 
 
 The most striking feature in the history of the Madara Mission the 
 past year has been the waking up of the native Christians to the duty 
 of doing something more to help themselves. The sermon of “John 
 Concordance,*'’ the blind preacher of the Eastern Turkey Mission, has 
 been preached with great power at most of the mission stations, and 
 repeated for substance by the native preachers throughout the villages. 
 The results of the tithe system are not great in amount, because of 
 the poverty of the people, but they exhibit, no less, a new interest in 
 the work. Mr. Chester does not hesitate to say of his people, “ I 
 have been a pastor in America, and I know something of the working 
 of the principal churches in New York City, and I boldly hold up the 
 Dindigul church, far away in this dark heathen land, as an example 
 of liberality to them.” 
 
8 
 
 Heathenism dies hard in Ceylon. Despite tlie cultivation of this 
 limited field for so many years, through which the gospel has been 
 proclaimed in almost every village, and brought to the attention, 
 probably, of every adult, there are still, to a population of only 
 180.000, seventy-seven of the larger class of heathen temples, with 
 their annual festivals attended by crowds of people, and maintained 
 M'itli great display and at great expense. Add to these 483 smaller 
 temples, and many trees considered the abodes of deities or evil spirits, 
 and we may have some idea of the power which heathenism still 
 possesses in this land. Yet ten churches of Christ, and more lhau a 
 hundred native laborers, cooperate with the missionaries in diffusing 
 the light of the gospel. Three hundred and twenty-six out of four 
 hundred graduates of the female boarding school at Oodooville, estab¬ 
 lished in 1824, have either died in the faith or are now living in good 
 standing as members of the church of Christ. Miss Townsend, in 
 addition to her school duties at Ooduopitty, finds ready access to the 
 women of the villages ; and Miss Webster, almost on her first arrival 
 in the field, begun visitiug from house to house, telling the story of 
 Christ to eager listeners. In education and social life the people have 
 made great progress. They have enjoyed the light without accepting 
 the life of the gospel. Here, too, the native Christians are coming to 
 realize their personal duty in the work of evangelization. “ Ten 
 years ago,” write the missionaries, “ it was difficult for our Christians 
 to realize that natives were needed as pastors of the churches. The 
 missionary must preach, baptize and marry their children, visit their 
 sick, bury their dead, and administer the ordinances of the gospel. 
 Kovv, the principle that the native should be pastor is generally 
 admitted and cordially received by our most influential Christians. 
 One church has assumed the full support of its pastor, the two others 
 under the pastoral care of natives are rising in their contributions, 
 and those without native pastors are taking a part of the support of 
 those who statedly preach to them. The care of church edifices aud 
 of the church poor is generally assumed by the Christians.” “ The 
 influences of the Christian family, the church, the Bible, aud religious 
 books and tracts in the vernacular, have been wmrking. The Sabbath, 
 with its ordinances of grace, meetings among the people in which the 
 doctrines of the Christian religion are discussed, systematically held 
 for years, Christian schools, with daily recitations in the Scriptures 
 and in the catechisms, have been steadily giving to the people a 
 knowledge of the great salvation. Now, as never before, Christian 
 centres, the baptized children of the church, nominal Christians, those 
 who have been educated in our schools, and the relatives of our 
 church-members, seem prepared for the descent of the Spirit. The 
 churches greatly need, and are in a measure prepared for, the fullness 
 of His blessing.” 
 
9 
 
 CHINA. 
 
 Eleven new laborers have gone ont to China during the year, and 
 six more expect to follow in a few months. Tims the pledge at the 
 Annual Meeting of the Board at Buffalo is in part fulfilled It is pro¬ 
 posed to establish two new stations in North China,and one in the south. 
 
 Six churches have been gathered in the Foochow mission, with a 
 membership of one hundred and four ; five young men have finished 
 their course in the training-school, and are desiring to preach Christ 
 to their countrymen ; and seven other young men, who give evidence 
 of Christian character, have just been received for instruction. Thus, 
 while sending out new laborers from this country, every effort is 
 made to utilize home material, and to raise up a native ministry. 
 The women seem specially open to religious influence, and welcome 
 the efforts of the missionary ladies to acquaint them with the truth. 
 
 In Noi'th China, the work is as yet largely one of preparation, 
 though special interest has been shown at Tungchow and in some of 
 the rural districts. Mr. Blodget has given much of his time to the 
 translation of the New Testament into the Mandarin colloquial, 
 spoken by half the population of the empire. This will soon be put 
 to press. Miss Porter, in successful charge of the Bridgman school 
 for girls at Peking, will soon welcome a much needed associate, and 
 the mission will be strengthened and encouraged by the arrival of 
 three new ordained missionaries from the last class at Auburn. The 
 literary class oppose, for their “craft is in danger to be set at naught,” 
 but there is a party of progress and of toleration, that holds control 
 of the central government, and with the moral support of Christian 
 nations, the way seems open for the free diffusion of the gospel in the 
 Empire. 
 
 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND MICRONESIA. 
 
 The year has been one of substantial progress in the Hawaiian 
 Islands. More pastors *liave been settled ; the native ministry have 
 been growing in the estimation of their flocks and of the missionaries; 
 discipline has been faithfully administered in most of the churches; 
 the interests of education have been better cared for; greater sense of 
 responsibility for the advancement of the cause of Christ has been 
 shown in more generous contributions to Christian objects, and in the 
 devotion of five young men and their wives to the foreign work ; and 
 though no general revival of religious interest has been enjoyed, more 
 than eight hundred members have been added to the churches on pro¬ 
 fession of faith. 
 
 Ttiere are now fifty-six churches connected with the Hawaiian 
 Evangelical Association, in which have been enrolled, from the first, 
 67,600 members. A recent careful revision of church records gives 
 the present membership as 12,497, a reduction on last year’s lists of 
 
10 
 
 nearly 5,000, notwithstanding the additions of the year. The reduction, 
 now taken note of, had been going on for several years, and marks 
 in part the great decline of the Hawaiian population of the Islands. 
 
 The contributions made to the Hawaiian Board for missionary 
 objects, home and foreign, amounted to S 9,4G2.94, the largest sum 
 ever reported, an advance of over $ 3,000 upon last year. The 
 native churches are no charge upon mission funds beyond the support 
 of the small number of missionaries who still have pastoral care. 
 The whole amount given for Christian objects, the past year, was 
 $ 29,386 in gold. 
 
 Aside from their own wants, a lively interest has been felt by the 
 island churches in the Chinese immigrants, now numbering over 
 1,300, and Mr. S. P. Aheong, a native Chinaman, well qualified for 
 the work, has been employed in labor among them by the Hawaiian 
 Board. The good conduct of the Chinese, their interest in Christian¬ 
 ity, and generous liberality in support of Christian institutions, have 
 excited no little surprise. 
 
 Though the system of popular education fails in some respects to 
 secure the best results, the higher schools and seminaries are well 
 sustained. Nineteen different works, in six different languages, have 
 been printed at the Islands, with a total of more than two millions of 
 pages, to supply the wants of the Islands and their foreign mission 
 stations. 
 
 Twelve different islands in the Marquesas group and in Micronesia 
 are embraced in the foreign work of the Hawaiian Board, and furnish 
 scope for the missionary zeal of the native churches, and delightful 
 evidence of the reality of the Christian work among them. Another 
 illustration of the condition of the work in the Hawaiian Islands was 
 to be seen in the late meeting of the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, 
 composed of missionaries, native pastors, and delegates from the 
 native churches ;—its deliberations presided oyer by a native Hawaiian 
 as Moderator, and its records kept in the native language by two 
 Secretaries, one a missionary and the other an Hawaiian pastor. 
 
 NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 
 
 The Committee rejoice in the endeavors of the present Administra¬ 
 tion to place the Department of Indian Affairs upon a better footing. 
 It is with peculiar satisfaction that they have seen the readiness with 
 which disinterested and benevolent gentlemen have consented to visit 
 different tribes of Indians, in order to the preservation of peace 
 between the stronger and the weaker races, as also to the introduction 
 of civilization among the latter. It is to be regretted, however, that 
 no Commissioners have been sent as yet to the Dakotas. They are a 
 numerous tribe ; and while some of the bands,—the Santees especial¬ 
 ly,—are anxious to abide in relations of amity with the United States 
 
11 
 
 Government, there arc others, far away from all Christian influences, 
 most of them, indeed, having never heard the gospel, whose friendly 
 disposition is by no means certain. There are questions of policy, 
 moreover, which have an important bearing upon the public treasury, 
 as also upon the progressive advancement of this people. 
 
 Among the Dakotas in whose behalf our missionaries are laboring, 
 the year has been one of prosperity. Fifty-seven persons have pro¬ 
 fessed their faith in the Saviour for the first time, and the whole num¬ 
 ber of communicants is six hundred and eighteen. The missionaries 
 are assisted in their work by four native pastors, and four native 
 licentiates. A new station has been commenced at the Yankton 
 Agency, by Mr. J. P. Williamson, in order that he may reach a large 
 body of Indians who have never before had a resident missionary 
 among them. Our brethren are desirous of commencing operations 
 at other points; and it is presumed that they will do so at an early 
 day. The need is urgent. The Dakotas are supposed to exceed 
 of),000, four-fifths of whom, have never heard the gospel. 
 
 Among the Senecas there has been a degree of interest in advancing 
 the kingdom of Christ which might, perhaps, be called a revival ; and 
 a few have joined the church by professing their faith in the Saviour. 
 In other respects, especially among the Cattaraugus Indians, there has 
 been gratifying progress. Rev. George Ford, formerly of the Madura 
 mission, has consented to take charge of Lower Cattaraugus. He 
 entered his new field last spring. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The special blessing of God in replenishing an exhausted treasury ; 
 the large number of new laborers who have entered upon the work ; 
 the results of the year abroad; may well fill our hearts with new 
 hope and courage as we enter upon another year. 
 
 The grand work goes on. At more than six hundred centres in all 
 parts of the globe, three hundred and fifty devoted men and women 
 from our churches, aided by nearly a thousand native preachers and 
 teachers, are proclaiming, in twenty different languages, the gospel of 
 Christ. As we note our missionary stations, among different popula¬ 
 tions of the Turkish Empire,—the Bulgarians, Armenians, Turks, 
 Koords, and the great Arab race ; among the Zulu-Kafirs of Africa ; 
 the Mahratta and Tamil races of India and Ceylon, and the millions 
 of Northern and Southern China, we shall find that not less than half 
 the human race are in the way to be reached, directly or indirectly, 
 by the representatives of the American Board, and that it is no 
 extravagance to say, that a hundred millions of our fellow men,— 
 now made our neighbors through the marvelous facilities of commer¬ 
 cial intercourse,—are to-day dependent upon us for the word of life 
 and the benign influences of a Christian civilization. Do our churches 
 
12 
 
 realize the greatness of the work, and the solemn responsibilities of 
 the liour ? 
 
 New centres of influence have been taken, new churches organized, 
 new pastors ordained ; a larger number of native youth of both 
 sexes are in training for Cliristian work ; more and more of the 
 native churches are becoming independent of our aid, and assuming 
 their proper responsibility for the support of tlie gospel and its diffusion 
 abroad ; and, more tlian all, tlie good work everywdiere accomplished 
 —a work no figures can measure—is to be found in the vast prepara¬ 
 tion of the popular mind for the reception of the truth ; the despair 
 of the received faiths, the conviction that the truth is with us, and 
 must prevail, the undermining and sapping of the very foundations 
 of error and superstition. Never before were there such motives for 
 consecration to the work of Cbrist, for earnest and well directed 
 efforts to complete the work begun, and never before such occasion 
 for earnest and prevailing prayer on the part of all who look for the 
 triumph of the kingdom of Christ in the earth. 
 
 GENERAL SUMMARY. 
 Missions. 
 
 Number of Missions,.18 
 
 “ “ Stations, . . . . . . . . . .102 
 
 “ “ Out-stations,.. . . .639 
 
 I 
 
 Laborers Employed. 
 
 Number of Ordained Missionaries (3 being Physicians),145 
 “ “ Physicians not ordained, .... 7 
 
 “ “ Other Male Assistants, .... 4 
 
 “ “ Female Assistants, ..... 196 
 
 Whole number of lat)orers sent from this country, , -352 
 
 Number of Native Pastors, ..... 106 
 
 “ *• Native Preaci.ers and Catechists, . . 285 
 
 “ “ IScnool 'f - acne>s, ..... 366 
 
 “ “ Otner Native Helpers, .... 224—981 
 
 Whole number of laborers connected with the Missions, 
 
 •1,333 
 
 The Press. 
 
 Pages printed, as far as reported. 
 
 . 15,957,641 
 
 The Churches. 
 
 Number of Churches, (including all at the Hawaiian Islands,) . 
 
 “ “ Church Members, (do. do.) so lar as reported. 
 
 Added during the year, (do. do.)^. 
 
 Educational Department, 
 
 Number of Training and Theological Schools, .... 
 
 “ Other Boarding Schools,. 
 
 “ Free Schools, (omitting those at Hawaiian Islands,) 
 
 “ Pupils in Free Schools, (omitting those at H. I.) 13,479 
 “ “ “ Training and Tneological Schools, 486 
 
 “ “ “ Boarding Schools, . . 688 
 
 Whole number of Pupils,.. 
 
 U 
 
 n 
 
 ii 
 
 
 229 
 
 20,788 
 
 1,608 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 . 478 
 
 15,491