The Commission, July 1849

Soutljcru Baptist Concmtioii. Correspondence ot the Foreign Board. Communications relating to the general busi¬ ness of tho Foieign. Mission Board, may be ad¬ dressed, post paid, to Jam*» B.. Taylor, Cor. See. Richmond, Va. Communications enclosing donations, or relat¬ ing to tho financial department, may bo address¬ ed to Лист bald Thomas, Treas. Richmond,. Va. fclje Commission. Although the following does not bear immedi¬ ately on me subject of missions, yet we consent to its insertion, on account of its practical excel¬ lence. Wo liopo that some of tho numetous readers of tho Commission who may be destitute of the true riches, will become sharersin them, and thus augment tho influence which shall ho put lorth to spread tho good nowe contained in this article, to tho poor and perishing among the hea¬ then. For Ihe Ccmmisiion. Gold! Gold!! Gold!!! Dear Reader, — Are you an enterpiising char¬ acter; and have you a thirst for riches and happi¬ ness! Then I have the pleasure of informing you, that a mino much richer than those of Cali- fiirnia has bccu discovered, and the owner now has occasion for the employment of as many per¬ sons to work it as can bo procured. '1 his rich mine is close at homo in our own country, consequently, no expensive outfit is ne¬ cessary to take workmen to the place of opera¬ tion. This is a matter of gicat importance, par¬ ticularly to tho pool. The inducements held out to faithful workmen, arc such as cannot fail to enrich every one en¬ gaged therein, And, what is worthy of seiiou3 consideration, tlioso who obtain gold from this mino become rich for eternity, without any ex¬ posure to defalcation ot bankruptcy. There is another valuable peculiarity of the gold of this mine, it docs not, like other gold, make the holder mean, sordid, or selfish. For its influence is altogether in a different direction —elevating, enlightening, expanding and sancti¬ fying the mind and affections. To prevent mistakes and failures, the owner has caused lib servants to execute a most excel¬ lent chart of tho mineral region, including a written description of tho whole' surrounding country, so that tho most simplo minded and un¬ learned— even tho fool, need not err therein re¬ garding his duty. Dear sinner, what more can you ask or desire besides being made rich and happy for eternity? Surely you ought to say, this is enough. But, perhaps, you arc still disposed to enquire, "'hat kind of qualification does the owner of this gold mine rcquirc«ftr the service? Negatively, he does not requiro that tho workmen shall be learned in scholastic science, or the mechanic arts; nor that they shall possess worldly wisdom, bodily strength, or personal valor. But ho docs require that they shall posses.? a tractablo dispo¬ sition. “To this man will I look, (saitli tho Lord,) even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trenibleth at my word.” Dear sinner, in conclusion, permit mo to ask you whether you do not often feel poor, and des¬ olate, and miserable ? Then the owner of this inexhaustible mino counsels you to come to him, that you may obtain “ gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.” Stay tho good Lord enable you by his Spirit, to act wisely in a matter of such vast importance. Then, indeed, will you bo richer than Crasus, and as happy as an angel. S, It. Clinton, Ay., June, 1813, Tliere b no man nor woman in the community, who cannot do more than they noW do for mis¬ sions without buffeting the least inconvenience from it, i For the Commission. A Royal Missionary,. Tho son and heir of a certain king was so im¬ pressed with tho condition of tho heathen, that ho determined to become a missionary. He was well aware that ho would not be received as a king’s son in the land to which, lid was going, but on tho contrary, that he must endure poverty, shamo and distress; yet none of these considera¬ tions could divert him ftom his purpose. He knew tho valuo of souls, and was willing to sac¬ rifice wealth, honor, comfort, and life itself, that he might labor for their salvation.. When, the extraordinary determination of the prince was made known, it produced great ex¬ citement., All. his father’s house was moved, and even distant provinces were filled with aston¬ ishment. Yet, strange to. relate, the king did not oppose tho design, hut was well pleased with lib son on account of his generous undertaking. In due time the prince departed in tho midst of solemn and affecting ceremonies.. After a long and painful journey, he reached his destined field, and began his new labors,. A report of his real character soon followed him, and this, with his goodness, and other wonderful qualifications, appeared for a while to give him great favor among tho people. But his popularity was of short continuance. The rich and the mighty bled his doctrine and feared his influence. Af¬ ter many fruitless attempts, they at length succeed¬ ed in exciting the people against him,. and the generous, noble hearted missionary was murder¬ ed in a fit of popular rage. Header, have you beard of this missionary ? It was J esus the Son of God. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he becamo poor, that, we through him might be rich. . Tho disciple is .not :abqve.,his master. If Jesus became' a' tolling, suab'tfifg missionary, and died for sinners, who are we that wo should cling to our comforts, and refuse to bear the hardships of a heathen land! If the Son of God for our sakes became so poor that lie had not where to lay his head, how can wc refuse to bear the expenses of the gospel, because we desire to use our money in purchasing prop¬ erty, or in furnishing ourselves with “ the pride of life and the lust of the eyes! ” * • Last Words of a Missionary. Mr. John Lloyd, of the Presbyterian Mission at Amoy, China, has just passed away from his labors on earth. He died Dec. C, 1818. Tho following were among his last words ; “ If wo look at tho condition of the people, all is dark. Idolatry and gross superstition prevail. If wc look at tho church, or at ourselves, wc find hut litllo encuuragemcnt for the future. Nevertheless, tho foundation cf tho Lord stand- ctli sure, having this seal: The Lord knoweth them that are his. God lias a people in China, At the. set time, they will be brought out of darkness. Our present labors, for aught wa know to tho contrary, have an important bearing on this final and glorious result. We may, in¬ deed, have to sow many 'days, without perceiv¬ ing much ftuit of our' toils, but in due- time, wo, or those who follow us, will be permitted, to reap a bountiful harvest.” For the Commission. The Best Plan. 1. Let a missionary box be opened in every family. 2. Oa the first day of the week, let each mem¬ ber of tho family drop a certain part of bis last week’s receipts into the box, giving more or less as ho feels able. 1 Cor, xvi : 2. 3. Let the contents of the box be sent by ap¬ proved agents to the place or р1ассз designated by the givers. 1 Cor. xvi : 3. The agent may be one appointed for that purpose by the Foreign or Domestic Board; or still better, the delegates of the church to tho Association may bo, the agents, and from the Association the donations may be forwarded, by other hands. This plan would bo at once simple, efficient and scriptural, If adopt¬ ed, it would ь upercede the necessity of all others. ЛУ liaij families will open a box? * * ^ For the Commission. j The Scene Reversed If, the tribes of Asia and Africa were Christ¬ ians,- and we weie.heathcn, who in a few years musf bo in the dungeons of endlese despair, would you desire them to be anthroiesiunaries, and Jo say the gospel shall net go to America? Would you wish them to fold their hands in case, and say, it is too dangerous and difficult to preach the gospel in the far off regions of the west? If they' should act thus, you could scarcely bo per¬ suaded that they were subjects of a religion whose essence is love. * * Contributions of Colored People. From the Christian Index, we clip a letter from' brother Muse, and present it to our readers, believing that the subject is worthy of attention by all our brethren in the ministry. Who will imitate his example? .f Randolph со., Ga., May 29, 1819. ■ “Since I have heard of brother Thomas J . Bow¬ en’s appointment as a missionary to Central Af¬ rica, J have concluded to take up a collection in my colored congregations, аз I see thci^e is no rcspgct of persons with the Iotd in gcspel duty. I preach' to- a large black congregation at Pal' myn, and at my April meeting gave them notice thattJjShguld lake up a collection for-fcrothcr Ilowen at my'.May meeting, IvWctnVSSWUid •1th Sabbath. And thank the Lord for being permitted to meet them; and to preach onq more missionary qermen, I am almost ashamed to say it was the fust lime I ever preached to the blacks on the subject of missions. I was followed by an old colored brother whose cheeks were bathed in teai who said he had been very uneasy ever since brother Muse gave out the appointment, for fear ho would have no money to throw in to semi tho gospel to Africa. He said his father came from Africa, and he thanked the Lord for putting it into brother Bowen’s heart to go and preach the gospel to benighted Africa. After ho closed the hat was handed round and $ 12 10) received, Tho Lord loves the cheerful giver, and I never have seen more interest taken by any congrega¬ tion in a collection than they -exhibited. They appeared to think it a great privilege to aid in sending the gospel to their own race, There was an old African, a member of the church, who seemed highly delighted at the thought of tho gospel going to his native land, and he thanked tho Lord that lie had heard his prayer, and tho gospel was going to Africa, for he had been praying the Lord a long time to send a preacher there. " I esteemed it a great privilege to bo present. My heart burneJ with gratitude to God for what 1 saw and felt at that timo. I verily believe the spirit of the living God was in our midst, affect¬ ing the hearts of all present. I am a firm believ¬ er in the special providence of God, and believe the I/nd intended, in permitting the negroes to bo brought to America and enslaved, to prepare them by his gospel to boar it to their own colored race in Africa. And should tho wliitcs go there to preach the everlasting and blessed gospel, they must have tho prayers' and support of tho convened Hacks in America. " I write this to let brother Bowen know I am trying to do a little in his behalf in the great and good cause hs Ьаз undertaken. It is no doubt the cause of God, and he shall have my prayers, my labor and money to help him to the field I believe the Lord has assigned him ; and when passing through the Bethel Association, if he will call on brother John Mercer in Palmyra, onq of the deacons of the church, ho will hand him the above amount collected among tta colored congregation.at that place. Yours, &c., THOS. MUSE. American Baptist Missionary Union, This Society is sustained, by the Baptists of the North. It convenes annually. Itslastmeet- ing, which is the third since its organization, was held in Philadelphia,. May 17, 1849. About three hundred members were present. The re¬ ceipts of the year just closed, wero S 105,520 29, and the expenditures $101,921 02, leaving a balance in favor of the treasury of $4,401 G7S with which, liabilities existing at the begin¬ ning of the year have been reduced to $24,S91 00, The number of missions is 17, of stations and out-stations 193, missionaries and assistants 109, with 194 native preachers and assistants; whole number of laborers 303. Six missionaries and 5 female assistants have been sent to the mis¬ sions, 1 missionary and 2 female assistants have- died. The number of churcScs’’is 148, with more than 11,500 members, and of schools 50, with 1500 pupils. The additions to the church¬ es by baptism, so far as reported, have been 2000 ; iD Asia 1500, in Africa 9, in Europe 347, and in the Indian missions 144. INTERESTING ALLUSION. The President of the Union, upon taking the chair, made an appropriate address, of which the following are extracts : “It has been 35 years since a small body of warm-hearted, honest, sincere Christians met, as I understand, in this very city, tnd organized themselves into a convention, to enter upon the great_work_of Foreign Missions; I learn that that body ’consistciT of’^O'cleigymeri'an J 7"Iay“ men, coming from eleven States of this Union and the District of Columbia. I learn also, that the result of that year's work was about $4000. in the whole United States, for the purpose of promoting the Foreign Missions. The last year, in one section of this nation, was raised $ 105,- 000 ftom every source, contributed to that pur¬ pose. In one single month, the month of Match, $ 33,000 poured into the ticasury of this Union. Wherever theSe missions havo been established, the results have been the most satisfactory, most gratifying and most encouraging; and connecting our success with that of our brethren in the va¬ rious branches of tho great Christian church on earth, who are co-operating with us in the work of evangelizing the world, how cheering are the prospects of this year compared with the year to which I have alludai, 1814 ! SACRIFICES FOR MISSION CAUSE. “ The object of this Union,” said it3 President, “and those who sustain it, is to cairy the light of Christianity into those dark regions of tho earth ; and pom its truths into the minds and hearts of millions of our brethren who inhabit those legions. This must he done by hu.man instrumentality; it must be done by pecuniary means. They must cross to a land where these people arc ; men and women who are willing to make these self-sacrifi¬ ces cannot go out at their own charge. It is too serious, too expensive to be required of them. It becomes then the duty of all Christians in christ- lian countries to contribute of their substance, as far as God has git'ea them means, to promote this great benefit; a little from each individual would produce a great treasury, and that would be the means of multiplying missionary stations and supplying the wants of multitudes of hea¬ thens. “ I know wc are in the habit of talking on the subject, saying that we must make sacrifices; we must try to do something. Each one must sac¬ rifice something to this great cause. If yea want a new coat, do you talk about' making a sacrifice to buy it?' If your wife' and daughter