The Book of Religions Part 44

Presbyterian Board Of Foreign Missions.

Until within a few years, this body of Christians united with the American board in their operations among the heathen. A distinct society, under the name of the _Western Foreign Missionary Society_, was formed in 1831, by the synod of Pittsburg, which was merged into the present board in 1837.

Three of the missions of the board were begun by this society, namely, the Western Africa, the Hindoostan, and Iowa and Sac missions.

This board is intending to reenforce its missions, and to occupy several new stations, as soon as the requisite arrangements can be made. Its main efforts will be directed towards Hindoostan, where it has now two presses in active cooperation with its missionaries. This denomination of Christians have the following missions:-Iowa and Sac Indians; Chippewa and Ottawa Indians; Texas; Western Africa, _Kroos_; Chinese, _Singapore_; Siam; Northern India, _Lodiana_, Allahabad, Furrukhabad.

Summary.

This church has now under her care in the foreign field, fifty-seven laborers sent from her own bosom, twenty-three of whom are ministers of the gospel; besides eight native a.s.sistants, some of them men of learning, all of them hopefully pious, and in different stages of preparation and trial for the missionary work among their own benighted people. Through the mission stations occupied by these brethren, the church is brought in direct contact with five different heathen nations, containing two thirds of the whole human race. Annual expenditure about sixty-five thousand dollars.

The Presbyterian Domestic Board of Missions employs or aids two hundred and sixty missionaries and agents, who have under their charge about twenty thousand communicants, and twenty thousand Sabbath school scholars.

Annual disburs.e.m.e.nts about thirty-five thousand dollars.

English Baptist Missionary Society.

EAST INDIES.-A mission was commenced at Serampore in 1793. The English Baptists were just awakening to a sense of their responsibility for the conversion of the world, when Dr. Thomas arrived in London, to solicit missionary aid for Hindoostan. The society took him under their patronage, and sent him back in company with Dr. Cary. After laboring successfully in various places, in 1800 Dr. Cary removed to Serampore, which thenceforward became a central station.

WEST INDIAN MISSIONS.-In 1814, a mulatto preacher, named Baker, requested this society to send a missionary to Jamaica. In compliance with this request, Mr. I. Rowe was sent out, who, after laboring with pleasing success, died; and, in 1815, the society sent out Mr. Compere and a.s.sistants, who established a mission in Kingston. This was the origin of the Baptist missions in the West Indies.

SOUTH AMERICAN MISSION.-On a representation to the society, that much good might be done among the negro population and the Indians in and around Honduras, in the Bay of Mexico, the society, in 1822, sent out Mr. J.

Bourne, who succeeded in establishing a church and congregation.

SOUTH AFRICAN MISSION.-In 1831, Rev. W. Davies was sent to Graham's Town, at the urgent solicitation of some Baptists, resident at that place.

Summary.

This society have, in Asia, the Asiatic Islands, West Indies, South America, and South Africa, one hundred and twenty-nine stations and out-stations, one hundred and thirty-four missionaries and a.s.sistants, twenty-two thousand four hundred and eighty-eight communicants, and seventeen thousand seven hundred and thirty-five scholars. This statement does not contain the full amount of their labors to the present year.

American Baptist Board Of Foreign Missions.

MISSIONS IN ASIA.-Rev. A. Judson may be said to be the father of Baptist missions in this country, and, indeed, of the missionary labors of this society. It was his conversion to the principles of the Baptists, while a missionary of the American board in India, that roused them to action. He commenced his labors under discouraging circ.u.mstances, at Rangoon, in the Burman empire, 1813. Since then, the operations of this board have become very extensive, embracing immense portions of the Burman empire, Siam, &c.

Asia is their princ.i.p.al mission field, and they have laid sure foundations for the evangelization of many parts of that benighted clime.

INDIAN MISSIONS.-An impression, made, no doubt, by divine influence, of the importance of missions to this people, led, in 1817, to the appointment of J. M. Peck and J. E. Welch to be missionaries to the North American Indians. J. M. Peck commenced their first Indian mission among the Cherokees in 1818. Many tribes are now embraced by the labors of the board, and although the progress of truth has been slow among the "red men," yet the board have cause to rejoice over their Indian missions.

AFRICAN MISSION.-This mission was commenced by the offer of L. Cary and C.

Teage, colored men, to become the messengers of the churches in this work.

They commenced their duties, in 1821, at Liberia, where the board continues its efforts for the redemption of Africa, with some success, chiefly among the Ba.s.sas.

EUROPEAN MISSIONS.-These missions were commenced in 1832. Professor Chase was sent to explore the kingdom of France, and the Rev. J. C. Rostan commenced a course of evangelical demonstrations at Paris; since which, Germany and Greece have shared the attention of the board. These are missions of the first importance.

General Summary.

This board have missions as follow:-In North America, to the Ojibwas, near Lake Superior; the Ottawas, in Michigan; Oneidas, in New York; Otoes, near the junction of Missouri and Platte Rivers; Shawanoes, including the Delawares, Putawatomies, and Western Ottawas, in the Indian Territory; Cherokees, Creeks, and Choctaws, in the Indian Territory. In Europe, they have missions to France, Germany, Denmark, and Greece;-to the Ba.s.sas, in West Africa;-in Asia, to Burmah and the Karens; to Siam and China, Arracan, Asam, and to the Teloogoos.

The number of Indian missions is eight; stations and out-stations, sixteen; missionaries and a.s.sistant missionaries, twenty-eight; native a.s.sistants, ten; churches, sixteen; baptisms reported the last year, two hundred and seventy-one; present number of church members, one thousand three hundred and twenty-four; schools, seven; scholars, one hundred and ninety-two.

The number of European missions is three; stations and out-stations, twenty; missionaries and a.s.sistant missionaries, seven; native preachers and a.s.sistants, twenty-three; churches, twenty-seven; baptisms the past year, one hundred and eighty-seven; church members, five hundred and fifty-eight.

In the mission to West Africa there are two stations, five missionaries and a.s.sistant missionaries, one native a.s.sistant, two churches of twenty-five members, and two schools containing eighty-five scholars.

The number of the Asiatic missions is eight, stations and out-stations, sixty-two; missionaries and a.s.sistant missionaries, fifty-nine; native a.s.sistants, seventy-seven; churches, thirty-two; baptisms the past year, three hundred and seventeen; church members, one thousand eight hundred and two; schools, thirty-five, scholars, five hundred and sixty.

Grand total, twenty missions, one hundred stations and out-stations, ninety-nine missionaries and a.s.sistant missionaries, one hundred and eleven native preachers and a.s.sistants, seventy-seven churches, seven hundred and eighty baptisms the past year, more than three thousand seven hundred members of mission churches, forty-four schools, and eight hundred and seventy-seven scholars.

The annual expenditure of the board is about eighty thousand dollars.

Free-Will Baptists.

This flourishing cla.s.s of Christians have not, until recently, directed their efforts to a foreign field. They now occupy one station in Orissa, where they have two missionaries with their ladies. Two other missionaries are about being located, for which purpose funds are now provided.

Episcopal Missions.

The Church of England has been actively engaged in missionary operations since the year 1698, when the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge"

was formed. In 1701, the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts" was inst.i.tuted. The "Church Missionary Society" was established in 1800. These societies are still in active and vigorous operation. They have missions in every quarter of the globe, and their annual expenditures, for the propagation of the Gospel, amount to about one million three hundred and seventeen thousand three hundred and fifty-six dollars.

The Episcopal Church in the United States established a _Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society_ in 1820; and the General Convention of 1835 resolved, That the Church itself was the missionary society and that every member of the Church, by baptism, was, of course, bound to support her missions. The missionary field was declared to be THE WORLD, _domestic missions_ being those established within the territory of the United States, and _foreign missions_ those without that territory. At each triennial meeting of the General Convention, a Board of Missions, consisting of about one hundred members, is selected from the different dioceses. This Board has the general supervision of all the missionary operations of the Church; and meets annually, or oftener, if necessary.

There are two standing committees of this Board,-the _Committee for Domestic Missions_ and the _Committee for Foreign Missions_, to whom, during the recess of the Board, the care and management of the missions is confided. This Society now has under its charge one hundred and forty-five domestic, and twelve foreign stations, employing eighty-five domestic and eleven foreign missionaries, and also eighteen teachers and a.s.sistants in the foreign stations.

The expenditures of this Board, for the year 1841, were sixty-one thousand five hundred and eighty-six dollars and thirty-seven cents. This Society has missionary stations in Athens, Crete, Constantinople, China, (Maca,) Cape Palmas and other stations in Western Africa, and in Texas.

Society For Propagating The Gospel Among The Indians And Others.

This society derived its origin among the Puritans, in England, in 1648.

The charter under which it now acts was granted by the legislature of Ma.s.sachusetts, in 1687. Its list of past and present members in 1840, comprised one hundred and twenty-five names of the most eminent divines, jurists, and laymen in Ma.s.sachusetts, in which state the operations of the society are chiefly confined. The funds of this society, in 1840, amounted to thirty-six thousand three hundred and eighty-seven dollars, the income of which is annually expended for the "propagation of the gospel" among the needy and dest.i.tute.