Home and Foreign Journal, April 1856

yoUJMB v, RICHMOND, APRIL, 1856. NUMBER 10. PUBLISKU) \‘Л II1L BOARD 01? DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. OF domestic missions. MABIO.V. ALABAMA. Al'liiu 1S5C. ilJCT.U.ffJrt Domestic JMissions. iVt place before Hie roatlfis of tho Jour- ,,1 the following extract from a Sermon Domestic Missions as the grand basis J jU missionary operations. W e are ' jjjponsible for the mow* therein Lert but feel 'hat they arc in har- p,y bi-th «ith reason anil revelation: D' To propa^tc the gospel in one’» own tit land, is in exact consonance with и.» action of physical law». _ Г Drotesa no; to be an adept m a know- W. of natural sciences, but my observa- ; ’ the action of matenal Jioilieson и л ether, have convinced me that mo- да and impulses proceed Mi. cenl.es Lj-Ji circumferences, and from fixed and sources forwards, working out L, iat ral results as they go. T hey he- ' ,o to speak, at home, and operate to- IjJdi the distance. The sun in the fir- BWeol, for illu-tration, darts foitli Ids mi from a burning, central orb dazzling ' radiating pure virgin light, through all «• r ctherial space. mustard tree, intended to exemplify »u- relopment, increase and security of | ‘the Chri-tian church, might, had the great :;,poscr of events so directed, have been .Abated and matured in a manner dif- 1 font from that of silent evoluion from tie smallest of seeds ; but that would have lt« contrary to the ostabli-hod laws of u-eU’.ion. ’ Since the world began, the ciSfc has evolved her fruits by the rule of r 4, endive profession, first tlm blade, tin the stalk, then the ear, after that, the Til corn in the ear. : Leaven in contact with three measures cl meal, at a point on the outside of the pr-s. would, doubtless, Mere excite a par- til fermentation, which at length might [ecitrate to the interior and assimilate the Vi lie lump to the nature of itself; yet it i-uld not require profound discernment to revive, that if it had been planted pre- ;.-Hy in the centre, so that every particle , dd have exerted its energy from within ewards the surface, the assimilation would ire been more certain, thorough and |<edy. Let this law of the leaven sug- •I that of missionary circulation. Let :eioa centres be established in p.ntic- V locations— in one’s birth-place, or lopted country— and like the genial rams of tlie ri-ing sun, gospel light, clear .11 warm, will diverge from them and «ail ovit all the nations of the earth. ! Domestic .Missions, as the ba*is of con- pra! enterprises, is endorsed by the choice If fimlj affections. The in-linct-* of the I’srt yield an intuitive preference to le- jj.ionsand Iriends. The infant throbbings !; 'he new life— rcgcnirnliiiti — pul-ate by laancc of country and consanguinity — till this the dictate of selli-lmoss, unkind- |tis. or what you will; the young con- lots first anxiety is for his kinsfolk and ■miliar acquaintances. Nor cun this pref- pace for the salvation of relatives, dear г km by the double tie of blood nml pat- vqm, be effaced by the increase of' .'««litis a principle that lives, acts, ' [о gathers strength in the soul, as long j НШ holds her sway, or the laws of M continue unchanged, fie apostle Paul may be allowed to per- ntethe human race by the undisguised , •'?re>sion of his own feelings : 1 1 could i wi myself accursed from Christ for my ' ’'wen, my kinsmen according to the j Jerusalem, in virtue of apostolic instruc¬ tions, was to be the stalling point of mis¬ sionary operations. The law was to go forth out ol Zion, That was the capital ol the province, and the city of the great king, the centre of rendezvous for Chris¬ tian troop». There the legions of the cross were to he marshalled for battle, and 1 •hence to inaieh by double file against the j Jorces of the piince oftlaikneas. Having ■ established a strong and safe base of opt*- rations, the leading order of their great captain was : 1 Preach as ye go.’ | Were other proofs necessaiy to sustain the position under discussion, the v could | bo found in the practice of the jhimijive i Christians. They adhered punctiliously I to the terms of their instructions, nor did they presume to extend their labors be¬ yond the limits of their own nation, till permitted to do so after our Lord had risen from the dead. Kvon Paul, the Apostle to the Gentile*, did not penetrate the ■regions beyond,’ till his own people re¬ fused to receive the divine message ; so that if, as some contend— and which I do not gainsay— lie was a foreign missionary "I hut, be was mo»t certainly a home mis¬ sionary nl first. What now is the result of our inquiries as to the relative order of missions ? Not that the go-pel must never be sent to the heathen beyond the seas : nor that the domestic field must be tho¬ roughly cultivated before the heralds of the cro-.s enter foreign regions; we as-ume j no such ground-, but we have manifestly | learned this; Domestic Missions is natu- ! rally, scriplurnlly , aposlolicitlly, and there¬ fore rightfully the grand basis of all mis¬ sionary undertakings. This institution for Inme evangelization, is neither the branch the buif. nor the fruit of any, but the very root and stem of all missionary societies.” because they fan out as much chaff as wheat. Why are some pastors like the com¬ binations in chemistry? because they neutralize their sermons by their practice. {RA How did a very poor man some years ago become very rich? by minding his own business. April mnl May. Several Associations are to be held in the Southern State «duringthis and the next month. Wc hope the cause of Domestic Mis-ions will not he forgotten. The quar¬ ter just closed, and with it closing the financial year, has left the treasury more nearly exhausted than ever at the same period of previous years. The quar.cr ending with the 30th of the ensuing June, must be provided for within the next eighty days. Should it not be, there will he lamentation and perplexity, not only in Marion, but at the Mission sta¬ tions. We stale these facts for the pray¬ erful consideration of the sympathetic and | the benevolent. They are stubborn facts j can only he conciliated by the forthcoming • needful. j lowexlr a critical philosophy may veil- ,Л . . J ,,li< passage, it mu-t fore- ; L, ? a faithful record ol Paul’s solid- 1 |f, * ‘or *“е eternal welfare of his kindred. L®?1 0 *av ready to make sacrifices L , ' *le wouU never have thought of ilTk” . °Г lnT о11,сг mortals. 'i it' t P0,'l'on °f Domestic Mi-sions, T 16 scale of benevolent enterprise, is lfl'l=", il by divine directions. The ft,., 7 *'cw Testaments comprise the 5; ,"°® °f gospel faith, and the unerr- rjli, • hri-lian practice. The bihlc J.,' ,°ICB d God, speaking bv liis ser- it," apostles and prophc’ls. It is S.'r,, ectl°n of celestial wisdom for the fr f-n °r,obed«“l disciples. The bar- d, r„ “З.°г, *1,е lext meant, undoubtedly, destine fie lowns and с'1'ея °r sprang from Juda, and the Lave had the gospel first, strictly (lid he cunr,nc Ids labors to u °“'1— that even the Samari- ii. ' ou=o Israelites — were not invited LX* ^ast till after the Jews had ■as tn k- wben tbe Samaritans it i< 1 ,1!" 7 foreigners come to us— ' 0 be Christians of America— the lit4°> t,le new covenant were not Remember the Pledges. Wc have in our possession for exhibi¬ tion at the Ala. and Ga. Conventions, a long list of fine looking pledges made to that “ Modern Apostle,” a< the South¬ western bapli't, has it, Rev. II. К buck г. er. They will bo redeemable by install¬ ments according to promise, or if the pledger prefers it, the whole amount may be redeemed at once and so end the mat¬ ter. Gold, silver, bank bills, or good drafts will do— suit у ourselves, brethren, only remember the pledges. A Strong Petition. A petition is now before the board, signed by sixty-two names, for the appoint¬ ment of 'a missionary to labor in Shelby, San Augustine, and Saline Counties, in Texas. Several citizens have united with , the, members of a baptist church, in send- ' ing up this request. Now what shall the board do ? It will certainly appoint one if the treasury will justify such a step. We submit the case for the reflection of the churches, with the remark, that such pe¬ titions have not been (infrequent. Wc respectfully invite attention to the article in another column on Domestic Missions, be not afraid to read a long article occasionally. It contains impor¬ tant truths that could not have been con¬ densed within the limits of a single para¬ graph. (^-The 3rd Baptist Church at St. Louis have a Missionary Society connected with their Sabbath School. This is noble and worthy of immitation, Ctj-Why are great talkers like a grain fan? LOVE LETTERS. We shall continue a few months longer to publish short letters forwarding funds, simply because we wish to let the public know that in this our time of pressing ne¬ cessity we are not entirely forgotten. If tho. from whom wc naturally expected help have not responded, it is refreshing to our anxious spirit to receive tokens of remembrance Irom unexpected quailers. Nor shall we make any apology for pub¬ lishing the following letter because it al¬ ludes in llatlering terms to our mission sermon, If any should attribute its ap¬ pearance here to a desire to gratify per¬ sonal vanity, so he it : Wc thank God that it has moved at least one brother to befriend the board when open-hearted, liberal-handed friends arc so necessary. 1.EM1ITOV, Ala., 7th. Feb, 1816. Win. llornbuckte, Trees., Marion, -Via. Aw Sir : Knelused please find twenty dollars fir the Dome-tic Mission board— to lie applied as they may think proper. Клип the time I read bru. J, Walkers sermon on Domestic Missions— published in the August number of the bap- ti*t l’reacher, my mind has been troubled, as I knew l had money mid the board ought to lure it. Iso far as’ 1 know the beard leu no agent in X. Ala. If they had one here who could and would present the claims of the "bed Man" properly, I doubt not but bo would -исссЫ very well. 1 hereby pledge to our Corresponding Secretary ?-0 more if lie wilt come in person to our country uud my house on bio mission tour. I, really wish tliai sermon of bru. Walker Could be read by nil (be lovers of our Lord nmJ Saviour Jesus Christ. _ Very truly, yours in Christ, A»» J.AItVAliE. Here is another sweet epistle whose contents were very acceptable: Waterford, Marshall Co., Miss. ) Jan. 34, 18.10. ( Mr. Wm. Hornbiickle, Sir .—Unclosed you will plea«o find fifty dollars. 1’loase bo-tow twenty-five on the In linn Mission, nml twenty-live «11 the Homo Mission, and oblige Cassandra Kurd. Next we have a precious gift from an aged di-ciple whose bounty comes up from the chamber of affliction : IIoPRixsvii.tE, Ky., Jan. 23, 1836. Wm. llornbuckte, E>q. D-.nr llnther, Enclosed von will find ten dollars sent by- Mr-. (1. A. Ware, lire to Indian Missions un¬ der brother Buckner. Sister Wave is an old si-tcr and much afflicted.” Your Brother, W. II. 1'endleton. Carden, S. C., Keb. 1st, 1810. My Dear Brother, ' 1 have been requested by Miss M. tV. Mason, to send five dollars to bo applied to the Home Mission of which your are Treasurer. Thom vs Ma»on. AniRDF.F.N, Miss., Keb, 1850. Urn. Ihrnhwkle, . You will pica so find enclosed six and twenty dollars, which is a donation to die Indian Mis- n3t>u from sister Uollicllenilerwn, who lives in Tennessee. Yours, Ac. It. W. 1’riest. Put Co. (La., Zeiu-ion, 1 Keb. 11, 1850- ( Нет. Wm. llornbuckte, •V* 1Ш llrolli'r, Enclosed I «end you as Trcas. Don., Miss, Board, Twenty Dollars, to be applied as fol¬ lows : Tell dollars to Indian Missions and the oilier ton dollars to Domestic Missions. Hoping it may reach you safd and quickly. May God s blessing attend and accompany the same is my Please acknowledge the receipt of «nine when it reaches you. , Yours, in bonds of Christian love, John II. Milner. Perrv, Houston C;>., Go., ) February 18j0. J Dear Brother llarnbueUt. . Though unknown .0 trust wo love tho same Si\ f|tlUI| •••••• . . . promote tiro same cause. Eacbrol I «end I you n check on New York for «50, whieh l wi*h annnipiated to tho payment of the debt owed by tho In. Mis. Asso. to the Missionaries be¬ fore the transfer to the Domestic Board. Dus is a debt which tho denomination owe, and they should promptly meet. . I feci much interest ia the welfare of the In¬ dian tribes. I trust tiro Lord will speodity convert, and save them. Affectionately yours in Ciiri-t, B. J. Tit vrp. Cave Si-kino, Ga., 14b. I860. Dear Brother lion, buckle, You will pbaso forward fins ten dollars to (lie aid of Indian Missions, I do not «ay to which nun, for I know if it reaches you it will be applied right. Your«, mast respectfully, J. I'., A friend of Mission. INDIAN' DEPARTMENT. Report of tho Commissioner of In than Affairs. •• И**. - -.»**- * — « —4 *4 **.*.-••+**!+, ■ A.- , This document was published entire in the Washington Union of January 22iul. It is one of the ablest state papers we have 1 ever read while its philanthropy and be- 1 nevolent recommendations for the liviliza- | tion, education, comfort and evangelization ; of the " lied Alan," do honor both to the head and heart of its talented author. It would afford us great pleasure— anil wc ! know our readers vvould be profiled by a perusal of il— to place this rep irt in the j Journal, but we have not space to give ! more than a few extracts. After «peaking of the repeated efforts which had been made by Government and various religious societies to reclaim the Indians, and the diflicultios of success in these well meant cffuits while they were unprovided with a permanent home and liable to bo de¬ ceived and cheated by white men of bad principles, Col. Manypenny remarks : " With all thc-e drawbacks, I believe that the Indian may be domesticated, im¬ proved, and elevated ; that he may be I completely and thoroughly civilized, and I made a u.-eful element of our population. ' Hut lie must have a home— a fixed, set¬ tled, and permanent home. And I re¬ gard it as fortunate for him that circum¬ stances intimately connected with our present plan of emigration to and settle- ninii v< hlJ 11 Uic Territories or trie xinuen States, although marked by great irregu¬ larities arid cruelty and death to both races, are rapidly hastening a condition of things which will accord with the policy of permanent homes and fixed habitations lor the Indians. This wonderful emigra¬ tion, and the expansion of our population into every portion of our Territories where land is found suitable for cultivation, car¬ ries the white settlers on either side of and far beyond the homes of the Indians ; and as the settlements thus made expand and grow, they vvillsu have adjusted them¬ selves as to forbid the removal of the red man. There will, therefore, soon be no pretext for a change, as there will he no place to remove the Indian population. The policy of fixed habitations I regard as settled by the government, and it will soon be confirmed by an inevitable neces¬ sity; and it should be understood at once that those Indians who have had reserva¬ tions set apart and assigned them, as well as lho who may hereafter, by treaty, have, are not to he interfered with in the peaceable possession and undisturbed en¬ joyment of their land ; that no trespasses will he permitted upon their territory or their rights ; that the assurances and guarantees of their treaty grants are as sacred and binding as the covenants in the settler's patent ; and that tin; govern¬ ment will not only discountenance all at¬ tempts to trespass on their lands and ou-t them from their homes, but, in all eases where necessary, will exert its strong arm to vindicate its faith with and sustain them in their rights. Let combinations, whether formed to obtain the Indian’s land, or to make profit by jobs and contracts in his removal or other causes, he resisted, and let it be understood that the Indian's home is settled, fixed, and permanent ; and the settler and the Indian will, it is believed, soon expeiience the good effects that will result to both. The former will then re¬ gard the latter as his neighbor and friend, and will treat him with the consideration due to this relation; and the Indian will look upon his habitation as permanent and liis reservation as his home, and will cea«e to regard the while man with that restless doubt and distrust which has been so disastrous to his comfort and peace, and so fatal to his civilization and improve¬ ment." A temperance reformation is of the very first importance as a preparative for the reception of the Gospel among the In¬ dians. When in Kansas last summer we were anxious to have " a’talk with" Big Legs, the Miami Chief, but were told that he had been drunk for more lhan a week, and there was no telling vrhtn he would ha sufficiently recovered from his debauch to be able to converse coherently. The commissioner’s report has this paragraph on the subject of Indian intemperance : " The appetite of the Indian for the use of ardent spirits seems to be entirely un¬ controllable, and at all periods of our in¬ tercourse with him the evil effects and injurious consequences arising from the indulgence of the habit are unmistakably seen. It has been the greatest barrier to liis improvement in the past, and will con¬ tinue to be in the future, if some means ' annot be adopted to inhibit, its use. Hu¬ manity demands, and our obligations to this unfottunate-race require, that every legal provision be adopted by the national, state, and territorial legislatures to pro¬ ject the red man from this consuming fire. This is necessary ; it is the foundation of nil permanent and substantial improve¬ ment.” The following is an eloquent and truth¬ ful tribute both to the intellectual and sentient nature of the Aborigines of this country. If some of them arc dull, many have quick preceptions and large capaci¬ ties; if when injured they hate; they can also love when their affections are solici¬ ted: " lie has 'noble impulses, and possesses in a high degree the finer feelings and af¬ fections, and there is no lack of evidence that he can be elevated and highly civil¬ ized. Erroneous opinions and prejudices in relation to the disposition, characteris¬ tics, capacity,, and intellectual powers of the race, have almost excluded the Indian from the public sympathy. Statesmen and philanthropists but slightly regard him ; the public enactments but feebly _ protect him ; and in the discussions which abound in the political and religious vvodd, in relation to tho condition of races within our confederation, hut few regard it as among their duties to make any effort de¬ signed for the benefit of tlio red race. Such cold indifference can only exist be¬ cause error and prejudice have beclouded flip inilwla »C I«.« 4^ u«vll a ac£ien «5 tw cause them to overlook the obligations and duties which rest upon them in relation to this interesting but unfortunate people.” How true is this sentence in regard to the emigrants to Kansas : "Many of the emigrants to, and'scttlers in, live Territory of Kansas, are engaged in hitter controversy and strife in relation to the institutions to he formed there as applicable to the condition of the African race; yet the hostile (actions seem to have no sympathy for the red man, but, on the contrary, many of both sides ap¬ pear to disregard his interest and trespass upon his rights with impunity." Wc conclude these quotations from the rcpoit with the commissioner's allusion to the contracts made with the Domestic Mission Board : " The moral as well as physical condi¬ tion of the confederated bands of Kaskas- kias and l’eorias, Wcas and l’iankcshavvs, and the Miamics, constituting the Osage River agency, has improved within the last year. A vigorous temperance refor¬ mation has been set on foot, in which sev- ral of Ihc principal men of the Miamies are active and zealous instruments. An 1111usu.1l quantity of seed was planted in the spring, which yielded an abundant harvest. Large quantities of hay have been mowed and secured, and potatoes have yielded abundantly. The health of all the Indians within this agency has been good. Arrangements have been made with the domestic mission board of the Southern baptist Convention for the education of the children within this agency; and, as many of the Indians have manifested a laudable desire for the instruction of their youth, it is anticipated that favorable results will flow from this (j3* IV e commend the following noble sentiments, found in the conclusion of the Report of the Secretary of the Interior, to all lovers of the human race, and es¬ pecially to those who have been content to see the poor Indian without a home on earth or a hope of heaven : " It would be well for us, in our con¬ duct towards the Indians, to follow the example of those benevolent societies which have for many years labored so pcrscveringly, and, under the circumstan¬ ces, so successfully, for the amelioration of their condition. They have .contribu¬ ted largely to this great object, having ex¬ pended within the last ten years, in money alone, nearly a million of dollars ; and it is doing them injustice to attempt ■> * ,.'m\