Home and Foreign Journal, June 1852

./1 «• HOME AND FOREIGN JOURNAL; VOLUME I. RICHMOND, JHNfc 1852. PUBLISHED BY THE BOARDS OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN* joarTof domestic MISSIONS. Iw MARION', ALABAMA* JUNE 1832. MhAinual Meeting of the Board of Domestic Missions. ti'0usl‘ eshibitii.» a gain upon IheTcport made ihai r> of S800, fall, considerably below ; Ihal reported at the biennial meeting in 1851. Tho total amount, however, of tl,o moans placed nt tlm disposal of tie Board exceeds that of any previous year. I l ie following и a statement of Ibo «hole resources of tlie lioard for tho period reported : jl$ sixth annual meeting of the Board of Bomestio Missions was bold wills tbo Baptist ehureli in Marion, Sat¬ urday, April 10, 1S52. Several minister», and other Brethren from dilTcront Motions of tbo country, were present. After tbo reading of the reports of tbo Treasurer and Corresponding Secre¬ tary, several committees wero appointed who reported up¬ on tbo points of chief interest connected vvitli our opera¬ tes, and a free, full and harmonious interchange of opin¬ ion upon various points presented. Tbo report of the committees on missionaries-for California, missions among ibo Roman Catholics, missions among our own colored people, New Orleans as a field for missionary operations, end Sabbath Schools iu connection with all the churches under our care, seemed to elicit much interest. The past action of tho Board on all these points was fully sustained; indascnso of the necessity of greatly enlarging our ojier- utions during the coming year, induced all to concur in the report of the Finance Committee, recommending tho j former year. Balance on hand, Received from Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Louisiana, Missouri, Journal, 3,000 00 3,151 33 2,304 48 1,075 P0 1,0211 27 1,0(2 23s 125 00 104 20 50 00 40 32 45 00 25 00 10 00 SS 32 513,045 15 NUMBER 12: ■MISSIONS OF THE SOUTHERN » BAPTIST CONVENTION. in tl se golden regions. Several communications havo. “5® received, imploring ш to scud them aid. Judge Ivilli late of Та., sent an appeal in behalf particularly of Sacra lento City Church. No doubt is expressed in any of on communications that ministers of the right charac¬ ter w uld speedily, be supported. Httlo more is necessary than lat tlieir journeying expenses should be paid, and their upport secured, uutil they becoiuo known and estab¬ lish» Th 'Board is nt this moment in eorrespondenco with two i misters, well known for their real and efficiency, both ■ f whom have hud charge of churches in our most popul us southern cities. Should one or both of them go, it wi require a considerable outlay on tho part of tlio Boar ■ This can only bo justifiable if our brethren sco fit to ontributo for this special object. If it is tbo desire of ll ohnrches, that wo should assist in this work, wo en¬ treat hem to express it. Tbcro is littlo doubt but that at tip points now in contemplation of tho Hoard, sclf- Shg churches would bo soon and easily raised up. An fiould bo speedily made for tho Chin esc. providenti¬ ally brought to our shores. Many of thoso might J by tbo Idcsahgof God, soon become Christian missionaries thcui- selvc^ and go back to declare to their own people tbo wond»ful works of God! It impossible to describe how much ministers of tho gospe form public sentiment on all questions of morals, and Jcligion, in now countries especially. If wo send be sent lo any subscriber on application, post-paid, to tho ! ro'''",lc'* 'heir commissions. Of those who have made office of publication, Richmond, or tho Corresponding ! KVdnrt™ LTb’ , b,ccn c"fS"1 f"r. "l0 ... , . ° ■ Beard during the whole year, hut semi havo sent in rc- fetrttary, Marion, Alabama. _ We thcrotoro insert a . ports for more tlian three quarters, and the statistics of eouicnhat condensed report in this number of the Journal, j tho whole are imperfect on tinny important points. So R'e give first tho journal of proceedings : j far, however, as they go, they show a clear gain upon last 1. Opened with singing and prayer by llev. J. O. Fos- .vear of 0,5(1 miles traveled; 31 churches' and stations lcr i j j j supplied; o*j 1 sermons and aiMrcw* delivered: Ml prayer 2. IVscnt-J. II. Be Votic, T. F. Curtis, H. Talbird, 1 1®' 01||СГ meetings atton.led; 771 religious visits, R, Holman, A. W. Chambers, A. A. Connells, 1,. В. I Г9 1’CFW!? - ailJc'1 V Ic'lcr! Ul 111 ^ lane, L. C. Tutt, I,. Y. Tarrant, W. Hornbuckle, К. 1). |кс,гп1ю have j, г M conversion, but are not baptised. King, W. N. Wyatt, S. S. irherman, and M. P. Jewett. j L c"n schools and Bible d oses are.repurt- 3. The Recording Notary being unwell, S. 8. 8bcr- I % ** «" “ 7’ Г!.’" "Т*Л° lES Ь ЯГ man was elected Secretary pro tem, 4. An invitation to sit with the Board and aid iu its deliberations, was extended to visiting brethren, when the following registered their names, viz: B. Manly, jr., I. T. Tichenor, T, G. Blewett, J. Toole, B. F. Noble, J. Morris, Л. B. Goodhue, W. U. Wilkes, K. Parish, 8. llondcraoti, T. J. Barrow, O. Shivers, C. Phillips, P. Stout, 8. Dyer, Calloway, J. C. Foster,' ’J. H. Foster, J. 8. Ford. 5. On motion, Rev, Dr. Sparrow of tho Presbyterian church was invited to a seat with the Board. x J.- Treasurer’s report road and accepted. 7. Tho annual report oi me awaru wad .... Corresponding Secretary. 8. The following committees were appointed on topics embraced in the report : — On Леш Orleans. — Connclla, King, Chambers, J. II. Foster, Manly. On Missions lo the Blacks. — Henderson, Lane, Wyatt. On Missions to the Homan Catholics.— J. II. Foster, Blewett, Jewett, Stout. On Sabbath Schools.— B. Manly, jr., Talbird, Sherman, Goodhue, Ford. On Лею Fields of Labor. — Tichenor, Morris, Hen¬ derson, Noble. On Labors of the Vast Year. — Dyer, Holman, Toole, Phillips. On Finance and .%encfes.— Talbird, Tarrant, Tutt, J. C. Foster. On Organs of Communication. — Stout, Wilkes, Call¬ oway, Manly. 0. Conmiitlco on arrangements reported. Adjourned. Prayer by Bre. J. C. Foster. 2 o'clock, г. m. !• Prayer by Bro. Dyer. 2. Report of the Committee on Labors of Past Year presented and adopted. 3. Report of Committee on New Orleans read and adopted. 4. Report of Committee on Missions to the Blacks read and adopted. 5. Report of Committee on Now Fields of Labor read, and after an animated discussion by brethren Morris, Henderson, Blewett end others, was adopted. G. Report of Committee on Fiuaucc aud Agencies read, and after amendment, was adopted. Adjourned. Prayer by Bro. Talbird. 7* o'clock, г.м. 1. Prayer by Bro. Talbird. LABORS OF MISSIONARIES AND AGENTS. Although but few of tho last quarterly reports havo vet been received from our missionaries and agents, it is nidi gratitude wo are enabled to record an increase iu almost them ho'gospel, wo shall contribute lo.do'thTs ami moot a J ; 'IIP01'™™1» of missionary labor, and success over any rotur in future years, in tho gratitude and confidence, „ , , . - I °™cr )™r' . , , | and (Jiristiun ulTcetion which young and flouri'hmg States employment of an increased number of agents, at least i Mxty-six missionaries and agents have been under com- that ill grow up in those gulden regions, will manifest one for each State represented, so that the operations of n."S!lon «I too Board, in fifteen Slates and territories of | town 1 us. If wo neglect them now, they will become the Hoard might bo carried on with much increased vigor. ' 1 “ , к ,, Seven oil, ers have alio been 1 cslra god rrou, us. Tho whole proceedings will bo published in the form of j ,„cnre until afer the’ fi'rrt of April" Frem cight'en ' Tf 0L'11 DUTY TO Till? ROMAN CATHOLICS, an extra, of such size and shape as may enable it to bo [ those whose сошшй-ми commeiieeil before April, we , 'V have thus far dono nothing directly to meet Roman preserved as a permanent document. A copy of this will i havo llms far received no reports. Some of these havo ^'h liojsui. Our missionaries indeed report several heads ' ...... : - »' -■ ■ • • of fa lilies who havo been converted from that dangerous system, aud bantized. But this has been done incidental¬ ly. The four chief cities in tho United States, to which Roman Catholics seem most naturally and hereditarily to belong, Baltimore, Mobile, New Orleans and St. Louis, together with all, or nearly all, those vast States and territories where this system lias a certain degreo of indi¬ genous growth, from having formerly been the established religion, lio within tho territory assigned to our Board. Tho [Baptists aro hotter titled to meet and overturn this system than its other opponent», because not dependent iu regard to tho whole or any part of their belief upon tra¬ dition, upon anything in "fact but tho Bible. While we, however, aro not making aggressive movements, this great enemy of souls is active, and by means chiefly of schools, seeks to gain an influence over the minds of the young. We cannot afford, nor do wo need to meet them with gorgeous and pompous ceremony, or costly establishments liko limit own. A more simple plan has been found effn cient'in other lands. It is tho employment of those com verted front Romanism, as colporteurs and missionaries, r.il of whom hare Wen conrcrtei. Three more churches arc also reported as constituted this year than last. Tho total amount of these labors reported is as follows: 150 churches and stations supplied: 4,181 sermons and addresses delivered, 470'persons baptized; 307 converted, not baptized; 323 received by letter; 18 churches con¬ stituted; 7 ministers and 11 deacons ordained; 12 meeting¬ houses commenced; 8 finished; 41 Sabbath schools in opc- fili". mootings . . 0 . ... . miles traveled. Bcsidds. ‘his tho reports trom several able and inviting. In one church gas has been laid cn. EXPENDITURES. Since onr last annual meeting, the Baptist church in Marion has kindly tendered to the Board a room in tho basement of their building, SO feet by 18, to bo held by the Boar! so long as they choose to occupy il, free of all expense, they hearing the expense of finishing it off. Tho room lias boon completed at a cost of 5WU, aud is now occupied by the Board, affording amplo and comfortable accommodations nilliout charge. The actual expenditures of tho Board up to tho time of making up this report, have not exceeded in nil 510, 132 33. This, however, is owing to the fact that the salaries of our ifeR, with 2D) teachers and 1,552 pupils; 1,121 prayer "““«W '.their former brethren. Those men know the arts votings' attended; o^i-Yclfgiofff^i^a'.^!:^1^^1 «» “!!<*> .llic'" L U!° «vguments renlUj n. . f _ ,.i 4. ... .. _ _ t uscvL'mrtho ft-iests m their confessionals, nnd tho best ' land, tlin.pcoplo aro forsaking tho Catlio- iy ttiousaitlb ..vij, .y‘i ХОЧ.- Г.1 ex; adopted with tho greatest success in Edinburgh anvTolficr places, to employ colporteurs who have been Romanists among those who aro still such. The most efficient plan of action, therefore, will probably bo to seek out suitable persons, converts from Komanisui, 1 members of our churches, and employ them in such labors for tho conversion of others within the sphere of their influence, especially in our cities, as experience may show most efficacious. Tho exfense will bo but small, and readily met by proper arrangement, so that this depart¬ ment may soon become' self-supporting. Tho following extract from a letter recently received from a brother in one of our southern cities, will bo appro- . . i . . . .. . | ceded here: “Nearly one fourth of our white population missionaries foVllio last quarter li.no nut yet been paid, j in this State are Romanists, and very littlo indeed isibno except in those instances in which their reports reached m j foMheir conversion. 1 think onr Association would, ho before tho last business meeting of the Board. Tli a actual . " amount of ox|*nso incurred сои exceeds that of last year. Our immediate indebtedness therefore is much larger than at any former period. The whole liabilities of the Board are §0,(50 04. These will have to he im¬ mediately ami seriously increased, as a glance at the Held of our operations will show. Indeed several important applications involving largo expenditures are now before tho Board. EMIGRATION TO TEXAS. Allusion has been made in former reports to tho vast increase of territory in which our citizens are settlin''. But it is more difficult justly to c-limato the rapidity with which emigrants aro filling up these territories. From all the Southern States, according to the most reliable ac- count», they aro flowing into Texas with unsurpassed and probably unexampled rapidity. Of those a very largo proportion arc Baptists in sentiment, many of them nieui- bers of our churches. (Vc might ask i! the missionary tho hearts and affections of cur churches, glal to sustain a man of the right stamp in our own city, for I doubt if a belter field can bo found in the United States." AID TO FEEBLE CHURCHES. Through a very large extent, liotli of the old and newly set led State», in thickly settled cities, and in remote back wool», are many churches and stations which need tempo¬ rary aid to establish themselves. With that aid granted, tiny soon flourish and become able in turn to assist other (lurches also; if it is withheld, they must dio out, and tho slrnglli that would havo built them up, becomes 1 »t or difus.'d among other denominations. Every htmdrcn dol- Ijh appropriated in this way, is the immediate occasion of foir nr five other hundreds being raised. .Such churches li.se been aided by our Hoard in every one of tho south¬ ern States, and in most of tho territories of tho United 8(ites throughout tbo great south-west. In nearly every oi; of these States aud territories during the past year. 1'i'FORT.S FOR OUR OWN COLORED I'Ol’ULATIOX. In addition to the usual means of grace which they ejjny in common with others, special efforts are being ale in various places for their religious improvement. -—j- -j ...v. .....i.. ! enterprise in . - ~ . 2, Report of Uomuiittco on Sabbath Schools read and J would not naturally bo first of all that among their own “opted, descendants. Here are parents who have children, here _ „ , 3. Report of Committee on Organs of Communication | al0 relatives and friends of nil kind», who have represen- [ ibis object lias . recently been so aldy and interestingly read and adopted. • lativcs of their warmest and best affections m that growing ojlarged upon, in a scries of cs».iys published by tho Report of Committeo on Missions to tiio Roman | country. It would bo difficult to believe that such parents, jinhern Baptist Board of Publication, in Charleston, by Catholics read and ndopted. I such relatives and friends, if pious, would not gladly eon- ц, recommendation of tho Alabama Baptist Convention, 1 1 tributo freely of their substance, to bo assured that the tpt nothing hero need bo added to commend it to tbo gospel was thus being carried to tbo cars of those they ifeetiouj 0f all. At tho last meeting of the Board, at 1 ndopted f' lltsch'td, That the Corresponding Secretory be requested to prepare such a statement of facts, and plan ofeporatious, as will “milhe recommendations of the last report. to^ llle Corresponding Secretary be authorized thk n.™ Wcs °f Dm annual report and proceedings of IV..- , г published as au extra number of the Home and ‘oretoo Journal. Adjourned with prayer by Bro. J. II. Foster. ■A (bo Sabbath tho annual sermon was preached before о lioard by tbo Rev. I. T. Tichenor, of Montgomery, from Mat. xi: 15. . hoi.o to seo the influence of tire evangelical sentiments ; wo uphold, firmly and irradicahly pervading those torn- A* «• u. t* .. I a smiii nuwuci и i a ducoarsc on Domestic Missions was dehrer- ; wjt|, their priests, J Учимого the board by Kcv. B. Manly, ju’r, of KichmonJ, our dooouiiuation il l,,;* TJ Luke n\y: 47 and a collcctiou taken in be- hui.c to see the i: of tbo Board. jwo uphold, firmly . . — , Joo report of tho Board is too lengthy for publication torica to distant generations. . ... "S ,I!r „“■** “ Ц1 of Ire „ ,U.a'ng m °PPr°Pr,at0 tc™3 10 ,llc, f«'Snallon ' й„опсо in the formation of tho regions principles ot those of и . VorrcsPon<linS Secretary, and tho death of ono | „ast anJ fcrt;je territories, and future ages mil bo aston- e missionaries of tho Board in Texas, tho following jabcd at our supincncss. u lbc account of tho means of the Board : CALIFORNIA. MEANS OF THE BOARD. The above remarks will almost all apply -with increased Вии •1Ьо of bolding the anniversary meeting of the force to California. Thither many of our “ort cnergetic S 'S IUIt a Ml°nlh earlier this year than last. Tho and catcrprrsrng feUow-ctizcns have gone. Ther° u hard ^‘«1 embraced in this report being therefore scarcely lyoneof our larger churches that h« *bia olovea months, the coUectioas paid iato tho tof its members, and several of its congrcgatioa, scattered Ibyj. . tie request of the Maryland Union baptist Association, B’halovcr denomination takes possession _ of a young aU nas granted to establish a mission among the colored and growin» country, in tho name of religion, bolds it | ,,|Лр1о of' Baltimore. A committee of our most judicious over after by a stronger and more enduring dominion than j Ijcthren has been appointed, to consiJer the most effectual the sword of tho conqueror can bestow. Two hundred mtbods of doing them good by moans of tho preached aud fifty years a-o, a handful of CongrogHioealists, with ! LispeJ, who will report from time to time to the Board, their minister, settled in Massachusetts, end Massachu- 1 fjTC hundred dollars have been, within about eighteen setts is t'an-rcretional now. Three hunJrcd years ago, ; nonths, contributed by ono brother to aid us in this work SIU111 number of Roman Catholics settled iu Mexico, 1 R Alabama. From all this it will be evident that there is ith their priests, and Mexico is ltonnn Catholic now. If' , crcat anj constantly increasing demand upon the funds does its duty, we may, in a few years, |,f the Board. number of those ministers who are ablo to pursuo a thorough courso of theological preparation is so limited, tho instructions of the Bible class or Sabbath school aro . of the highest importance, in imparting early in life a * sound foundation of religious knowledge. Indeed no the¬ ological course can bo of half its proper service, whero a basis of tins kind bis not in some way been laid in early htc. On tbo other hand with it, together with earnest' piety nnd good sense, no man can fail to bo useful in tho cause of Christ in some sphere. Wo havo had reported to us, ns has been remarked, an increaso of eleven Sab- ‘ bath schools and Biblo classes, 55 teachers, and 502 pupils. This though hopeful leaves us far below tlio proper noint of efficiency. Tbo Sabbath school must always be regarded ns tho nursery of tho church— an in¬ stitution which ought to subsidize the labors of the whole Christian community of both sexes and of nearly all agos J RESULTS OF FAST LABORS. Tim time lias now arrived when, after' a few years of " laborious cxortion,,we begin to sco several churches and' stations which wo havo aided', siisfamreicmsclveY, ‘and*"* in some eases, in a highly prosperous condition. During tho past year, tho Rev.- P. S. O. Watson, a missionary of our Board, and pastor of tho church at Batcsvillc,_ Arkansas, wrote: “ I think our church can now sustain tho ministration of tho Morel amongst ns by proper management. In behalf of onr church m Batcs- villo, and also lor myself, I present our grateful acknow¬ ledgements to your Board, and all thoso whoso bouovo- lcneo lias aided us thus far. Wo fed thankful to our Heavenly Guardian for tho organization and efficiency of missionary societies.” During the year they havo also erected a house of worship sufficiently finished for изо in warm weather, though not complete»!. Tho Baptist Church in Columbia, S. C., about a year ago, was receiving aid from this Board. Now under tho pastoral caro of tho llov. J. Boyce, it is self-sustaining and understood to to in a flourishing condition. At Selma, Alabama, until little more than a year ago, aid from this Board was requisite to cnablo lliom to sus¬ tain worship, while a debt of 2,500 hung over the Iiouso in which they worshiped. Now it is free from debt, nblo easily lo meet its own expense. Tho number of members, both white and black, are increasing, and tho congrega¬ tions uro largo. The labors of Ilcv. z\. G. McCrniv their pastor, havo in all respects Icon eminently b!c»ted. An excellent organ, built for tho church, has been recently erected and raid for. In Raleigh, N. 0., the Baptist church, under tho euro of Ucv.T. W.Tobcy, was, until within a few months, assist¬ ed by this Board. Now it is not only a self-sustaining body, but tbo seed sown by a faithful pastor, lias borno fruit; nnd uuder tho labors of Rev. J. 8. lloynoldson, a former agent of tho Board, a protracted meeting has been hclJ, in which about sixty havo been added lo tho church by baptism, while upwards of ono hundred havo professed • conversion, Tho church in Austin, Texas, long aided by tho Board, has iiow bcoomootio of tlioniosUUo and efficient churchos of tho State. It is under tho pastoral caro of llov. Tbos. Chilton, anil is now enjoying a refreshing season. Tho cliurel^ut^lluiitsvillc, also .at Montgomery and at Mar- , tScmsolvos. SABBATH SCHOOLS. The subject of Sabbath schools in connection with Do- nostic Missions, demands more than tho passing notico it must here receive. Its great essential characteristic emi¬ nently suits tho popular form of our government, and our policy as Baptists. Il is peculiarly biblical, providing a sphere of useful labor for ail the members of onr churches, who can and will exert themselves; thus multiplying the teachers of religion ten-fold, and, without any expense to tho Board, “making tho littlo one become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation.” Tho converts which it is instrumental in bringing into the churches, being well in¬ structed in biblical truth, aro nualified to become intelli¬ gent and efficient members; -ana when ss at present, the - * Г— ‘ ' zkt Galveston, tho church is highly prospering under the care of llov. J. B. Stitclcr, and will in n fow months ccaso to reccivo assistance. Indeed it has already begun to return to tho treasury of tho Board. At St. Louis, Missouri, two now churches, recently commenced as a missionary experiment in that growing city, nro so rapidly increasing, and solidly prospering, that there is reason to expect they will soon bccomo efficient and self-sustaining bodies. ° Many nlhor results of a similar nature might bo men¬ tioned. If in soiuo cases tho eamo happy results havo Dot yet followed, it may bo to try before rewarding our faith, and to induce us to net with more faith in thoso words of •scripture : “Be not weary in well doing, for iu duo season jo shall reap if yo faint not.” Tho aid which has thus been afforded, even tho least successful of tho nbovo mentioned cases, LAs been trivial indeed in com]>arison with tho happy results which havo arisen from enabling tho churches calmly to rally their strength under tho faithful preaching of tho gospel. ADVANTAGES OF GREATER CO-OPERATION. 1 hough nearly all tho older Southern Suites have re¬ ceived aid, tho greatest proportion of missionary labor has been expended naturally upon tho newly settling Stntcs and territories of tho south-west. Now is tho timo to fnrui public opinion in jhoso territories. ' In most of tho Conventions and Associations of the older settled Stales, a system of domestic missionary labor is organized and car¬ ried on within their own bounds, not connected witli this Board, Hcnco tho amount of domestic missionary work really dono, is far, very far greater than appears, or than wo aro now prepared to estimate. About 18 months ago tho Central Association of Geor¬ gia resolved to conduct all its domestic missionary opera¬ tions through our Board, as well thoso within its own bounds ns tlip‘0 in the other States of tho south and west. These brethren happily do not dissolve their own arrange¬ ments previously existing, but appropriate certain funds that they sco proper, specifically for particular missionary operations within their own bounds, other moneys con¬ tributed Lein" for tho general purposes of domestic mis¬ sions, in the different sections in which tho Board conducts its labors. Were such an arrangement adopted in all bur Associations, jt would cnablo tbo Board to give a more completo exhibition of all that is done for domestio mis¬ sions; to sco nliat points most need assistance; how tho funds intrusted to tho discretion of tho Board could he most efficiently disposed of; and what missions pro¬ duced the most beneficial results. The isolated unsyste¬ matic manner in which most of tho domestic missions of churches and Associations are conducted, leads annually to a great waste, far less on the whole being accomplished with tho same amount of effort and funds. zVny Associations desiring to co-operate with tho Board of Domestic Missions of the Southern Baptist Convention, can appropriate any proportion of their funds thoy con¬ tribute to particular missionary fields, whether within or beyond tlieir own immediate bounds. These are appropri¬ ated exactli/ os they dosiro and specify, with tbo additional advantage that those stations which promise tho most real usefulness, will ho further assisted from the general fundi of tho Board. AGENCIES. From tho wholo of what bas been said, it will bo evi- • dent that increased and increasing openings for useful¬ ness aro daily presenting themselves. The Beard cannot perform tho duties committed to it for the ensuing year, without Urgoly increased moans. Hovr »hxll there и оЫ