(© 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH 
 
 AMERICAN 80ABP OF COMMISSIONERS FOR 
 FOREIGN MISSIONS, 
 
 WITH GENERAL STATISTICS 
 
 or OTlIEIt 
 
 FOREIGN MISSIONARY OPERATIONS. 
 
1 
 
 Digitized by 
 
 tine Internet Arcliive 
 
 
 
 
 in 2015 
 
 
 
 littps://arcliive.org/details/statisticalliistoOOamer 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCH 
 
 OF THE 
 
 AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 
 FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. 
 
 WITH GENERAL STATISTICS 
 
 OF OTHER 
 
 FOREIGx\ MISSIO.TARY OPERATIONS, 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PRESS OF T. R. MARVIN & SOX, 42 CONGRESS STREET. 
 
 1859. 
 
This brief historical sketch, (as full, perhaps, as it could properly be made in 
 such a tract,) with the appended statistical statements respectmg other mission- 
 ary societies, is printed specially for pastors. It was intimated, at the meeting 
 of the Board in Philadelphia, that something of the kind would be furnished, 
 to aid them, on this year of the Board's Jubilee, in preparing to present to their 
 respective congregations the claims of the missionary cause ; and it is earnestly 
 hoped, that each pastor will prepare and preach at least one sermon on this 
 subject. Brethren, for half a century the Lord has prospered us. The progress 
 which has been made within that time, not simply in the work of missions, but 
 also in the general aspect of the world with reference to that work, is truly won- 
 derful. But existing missions are cramped and suifering for want of means ; 
 and "there remamcth yet very much land to be possessed." At this. favorable 
 juncture, shall there not be a general and earnest effort, to bring the churches 
 to a higher standard of missionary consecration ? 
 
 Missimiary House, Boston, November 28, 1859. 
 
SKETCH. 
 
 Early Missionary Spirit. 
 
 To the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the year of 
 Jubilee has come. It is a time to rejoice and give thanks. We cannot too 
 abundantly utter the memory of the great goodness of our covenant God and 
 Savior. 
 
 Of all the foreign missionary boards and societies now pre-eminent among 
 the benevolent institutions of the United States, this Board was first in the 
 date of its organization. Yet it must not be supposed that the spirit of be- 
 nevolence — or even what may be regarded as more specifically the missionary 
 spirit — had previously no existence in the American churches. Nor must it 
 be supposed that all the influence on the churches, which led them to enter 
 on the foreign missionary work, was exerted by any one, or any few indi- 
 viduals. 
 
 The missionary spirit is but the Christian spirit looking upon the unevan- 
 gelized ; and from the first settlement of New England there had been much 
 of this spirit in the churches. The fathers felt it, and that settlement has 
 properly been called a missionary enterprise. The condition of the Indians 
 at once moved the Christian sympathies of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. The 
 next December after the landing. Elder Robert Cushman sent an appeal to 
 England in behalf of " those poor heathen." In the course of another year, 
 one of the colonists was act apart for evangelical labors among them ; and 
 in 1G3G, preaching to them was provided for, by an enactment of the Assem- 
 bly. In the Massachusetts Colony, commencing almost ten years later than 
 that of Plymouth, the same spirit was manifested. Earnest, and by no means 
 unsuccessful efforts for the evangelization of the native Indian tribes, had 
 been made by the May hews, Eliot, Sargent, Braincrd, Wheelock, Kirkland, 
 and many others, extending through a period of more than IGO years, from 
 1G43 to 1808, before Mills or Hall, Judson or Newell, offered themselves as 
 missionaries to the heathen. 
 
 The missionary spirit of the mother country was greatly stimulated, by 
 such Tracts as "New England's First Fruits," &c., printed in London, 1G4.3 ; 
 "The Day Breaking, if not the Sun Rising of the Gospel with the Indians 
 of New England ;" " The Clear Sun-shinc of the Gospel Breaking Forth ; " 
 "The Glorious Progress of the Gospel, among the Indians of New England;" 
 with other publications, from 1G17 to IGm. 
 
4 
 
 Ln missionary zeal, in cheerful expenditure of property and life for the 
 conversion of the world to God, the first generation of New England, it is 
 believed, has not been surpassed, if equalled, by any succeeding generation. 
 Before the end of the 17th century, there were in Massachusetts alone, more 
 than twenty Indian churches, with some much respected Indian pastors; 
 and in 172G, Cotton Mather could write: "Let it be remembered, the 
 Indians in the Massachusetts Province are all Christiaiuzed ; except the 
 Eastern Salvages, which have been anti-christianized by the Popish mission- 
 aries." 
 
 But although, at the very beginning of the 18th century, " the age of Mis- 
 sionary Association" had fairly begun, the century well nigh "closed with 
 witnessing little more than individual and unsustained endeavors ;" and truly 
 has it been said, by the author of the Great Commission, that had these 
 endeavors " been all suddenly arrested, only a very feeble call would have 
 been made for their resumption." 
 
 In 1746, a century after Eliot began in earnest his missionary lectures to 
 the Indians at Nonantum, the churches of Scotland recommended a general 
 concert of prayer for the conversion of the world. Jonathan Edwards, of 
 Northampton, in Western Massachusetts, reponded with his whole heart, 8S 
 doubtless did many others; and in the year following, David Brainerd, dying 
 in the bosom of the family of that peerless American preacher and divine, 
 left his farewell injunction to his beloved Christian Indians in New Jersey, 
 to remember that concert of prayer. 
 
 The old French war, and the war of our Revolution, operated disastrously 
 upon what still remained, or had been newly attempted, of missionary work 
 among various tribes of Indians. And after the peace of 1783, the state of 
 the country at large presented so many local and personal objects, to engross 
 the minds of the most disinterested and philanthropic, that the work of mis- 
 sions declined to the lowest point of languishment; while the missionary 
 spirit in England was in much the same state of depression, from the opera- 
 tion of equally unfavorable causes. 
 
 1 , In 1792, William Carey preached the memorable sermon, from Isaiah liv. 
 
 2, 3 ; arranged under two divisions — " Expect great things from God ; attempt 
 great things for God ! " The Baptist movement for India was forthwith 
 commenced. Three years later, September, 1795, the London Missionary 
 Society was formed, and the proceedings and enterprises of this Society 
 produced an indescribable effect, upon large numbers of influential clergy- 
 men and laymen in the United States. 
 
 About the commencement of the present century it began to be obvious 
 that the missionary feeling was rising and extending in this country, and 
 would be likely soon to open for itself new channels of effort; and " no man 
 was the leader of the movement ; " God was working for his own cause. In 
 1799, the Massachusetts Missionary Society was formed at Boston. In 1804, 
 the constitution was modified, and the object of the society was defined to be, 
 " to diffuse the Gospel among the people of the newly-settled and remote 
 parts of our country — among the Indians of the country, and through more dis- 
 tant regions of the earth, as circumstances shall invite and the ability of the 
 
5 
 
 society shall admit." Under this constitution, this society, had the means 
 been furnished it, might have sent missionaries to any of the " distant regions 
 of the earth ; " and some of the sermons preached at the annual meetings of 
 the society, as also sermons before other missionary societies in the earlier 
 years of this century, especially one by Dr. Griffin before the General As- 
 sembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1606, urge the claims of the heathen, 
 and the greatness and excellency of a universal missionary work, with 
 eloquence and earnestness which have seldom, if ever, been surpassed. Dr. 
 Parish, the preacher before this society in 1807, alludes to "five societies in 
 Massachusetts for propagating the gospel," to "similar societies in all the 
 states of New England," and to " missionary societies in the middle states," 
 as then existing. The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, commenced in 
 1800 ; the Massachusetts Missionary Magazine, commenced in 1803 ; the 
 Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Magazine, commenced the same year; 
 and the General Assembly's Missionary Magazine, or Religious Intelligencer, 
 commenced in 1805 ; diffused among the churches much intelligence in 
 regard to missionary operations in foreign lands. 
 
 As an example of the practical effect of the diffusion of such intelligence, 
 it is worthy of mention, that in 180(), Mr. Norris, of Salem, when applied to 
 by Dr. Spring, to aid in endowing a Theological Seminary at Andover, found 
 himself embarrassed by a previous determination as to the use of his means. 
 " My great object," he said, " is the foreign missionary enterprise ; " and he 
 gave §10,000 to the Theological school, because convinced that the effort to 
 establish it was one with this enterprise; for "we must raise up ministers if 
 we would have men to go as missionaries." The same year, 180(i, Robert 
 Ralston remitted, for himself and others of Philadelphia, $;3,.357 to aid the 
 Baptist Mission at Scrampore. Dr. Carey, of that mission, acknowledged 
 the receipt of $G,000 from American Christians, in 1800 and 1807. 
 
 There were thus many indications of a missionary spirit in the churches 
 of the United States. Still it is true, tliat as yet, " American Christians had 
 never combined in any great enterprise or plan for spreading the knowledge 
 of Christ, or advancing iiis kingdom ; had never sent, from their shores, a 
 single missionary, with the message of heavenly mercy, to any portion of the 
 widely extended pagan world" abroad. The difi'crent efforts which "had 
 been made for the benefit of some of tlie native tribes of the American forest" 
 had been "scattered and transient," and "without any general union, or any 
 expansive and systematic plan of operations." 
 
 At the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Missionary Society in May, 
 1810, the preacher. Rev. Jacob Norton, must have spoken for others, quite as 
 much as for himself, when without knowing any thing, as is supposed, of the 
 wishes and purposes of any missionary candidates, at Andover or elsewhere, 
 he was yet moved to ask, in view of the signs of the times : " Is the expect- 
 ation, my brethren, visionary and unfounded, that the time is not far distant, 
 when, from the United States, missionaries will go into all the world and 
 preach the Gospel to every creature ? Yes, my brethren, when men with the 
 holy nrdor of an Eliot, a Brainord, a Trnnent, will, inider the [jntronnge of 
 the Massachusetts Missionary Society, go fortli in every region of the habita- 
 « 
 
6 
 
 ble globe, with the everlasting Gospel in their hands and upon their tongues, 
 accompanied with the fervent prayers of thousands for their success ? » * * 
 Through their instrumentality, will not ' Ethiopia soon stretch out her hands 
 unto God,' in humble prayer and exalted praise ? Will not the isles which 
 are afar off be glad, and shout hallelujahs to the Lamb ? Will not ' the wil- 
 derness be glad for them, and the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose,' 
 and unnumbered millions hail them blessed ? Animating, delightful antici- 
 pation ! We pray God it may not prove ' like the baseless fabric of a vision,' 
 but a substantial and glorious reality ! " Little did the preacher imagine, 
 that there were those then listening to his words, who, in less than a single 
 month, not in connection with the Massachusetts Society, but as the founders 
 and administrators of an entirely new and more important institution, would 
 indeed inaugurate the beginning of " a substantial and glorious reality ! " 
 
 In June, 1806, Samuel J. Mills became a member of Williams College. 
 While a child he had heard his mother say, " I have consecrated this child 
 to the sernce of God as a missionary," and from the time of his conversion, 
 in 1602, he had ardently desired to engage in the missionary work. In col- 
 lege, while laboring faithfully to promote true piety among the students, he 
 kept this work constantly in mind. In the summer of 1800 or 1807, at a 
 meeting for prayer regularly held by some of the pious students, on Saturday 
 afternoons, usually in a grove, but on this occasion, on account of rain, under 
 a haystack near by, there was conversation respecting the moral darkness of 
 Asia. Mills proposed to send the Gospel to that dark and heathen land, 
 saying, We can do it if we will. Others present were delighted with the 
 idea, which indeed seems not to have been new to some of them, and Mills 
 proposed that they should at once make the subject one of prayer, under 
 that haystack, which was accordingly done. September 7, 1808, a society 
 was privately formed at Williams College, by a few pious students, among 
 whom were Mills, Gordon Hall and James Richards, the object of which, 
 the constitution says, " shall be to effect, in tlie persons of its members, a 
 mission to tlie heathen." One article provided, that " no person shall be 
 admitted who is under an engagement of any kind which shall be incom- 
 patible with going on a mission to the heathen." Another article was : 
 " Each member shall keep absolutely free from every engagement which, 
 after his prayful attention, and after consultation witli the bretliren, shall be 
 deemed incompatible with the objects of this society ; and shall hold himself 
 in readiness to go on a mission when and where duty may call." 
 
 Designing, now, so to operate on the public mind as to lead to the under- 
 taking of a foreign missionary work, and proceeding with great modesty 
 and great practical wisdom, they republLslicd and circulated some impressive 
 missionary sennons, and o])ened a correspondence with some of the emi- 
 nently wise and good men among the clergy of tlie country, such as Rev. 
 Messrs. (iriffin, Worcester, Morse, and Dana. Witli tlie same end in view, 
 and to influence otlier young men, one of the number transferred liis relation 
 to Middlebury College, in Vermont. Mills visited Vale College, and some 
 efforts were made at otlicr institutions. 
 
 Nor were these young men alone in sucli views and feelings. Previous 
 
7 
 
 to the formation of the American Board, some eighteen or twenty, in different 
 localities, some of them ivithout the least knowledge of the persons or views 
 of others, seem to have been led to consider the claims of the Savior to their 
 personal services in a foreign missionary work. Not more than half of these 
 ever went to the foreign field. The earliest of all, Nettleton and Mills, 
 while providentially prevented from engaging in direct missionary service, 
 were, perhaps, even more instrumental in advancing the world's evangeliza- 
 tion, than if their original purposes had been entirely fulfilled. 
 
 Formation of the Board. 
 
 In the autumn of 1809, Richards became a member of the Theological 
 Seminary at Andover, and "labored with diligence and success in promoting 
 a spirit of missions among the students." Mills followed liim to Andover in 
 the spring of 1810, and Hall soon joined them. At least one other young 
 man was there also, whose thoughts had been independently directed to the 
 same great subject — Samuel Nott, Jr. "There seemed now to be," says 
 one who was there, " a movement of the Spirit, turning the attention and the 
 hearts of the students in the seminary to the condition of the perishing 
 heathen." Several had already come, or soon came, to the resolution of 
 spending their lives in pagan lands, among whom were Adoniram Judson, Jr., 
 and Samuel Newell. The faculty of the Seminary were consulted and ap- 
 proved the design, and on the 25th of June, 1810, according to previous 
 arrangement. Rev. Dr. Spring, of Newburyport, and Rev. Samuel Worcester, 
 of Salem, met with the professors and a few others, for further consultation. 
 It was thought the time for action had come, and the young men were ad- 
 vised to present their case to the General Association of Massachusetts, which 
 was about to meet at Bradford. The next day Rev. Messrs. Spring and 
 Worcester rode together in a chaise to Bradford, and during that ride, be- 
 tween those two men, " the first idea of the American Board of Commission- 
 ers for Foreign Missions was suggested ; and the form, the number of mem- 
 bers, and the name, were proposed." 
 
 On Thursday, June 28th, Messrs. Judson, Nott, Mills and Newell, came 
 before the Association and presented a written paper, in which they stated, 
 "that their minds had been long impressed with the duty and importance of 
 personally attempting a mission to the heathen;" and they solicited tlie 
 opinion and advice of the Association as to their duty, and as to the source 
 to which they might look for support in their contemplated work. The sub- 
 ject was referred to a committee, who reported the next day, recommending 
 " that there be instituted by this Association a Board of Commissioners for 
 Foreign Missions, for the purpose of devising ways and moans, and ado])ting 
 and prosecuting measures for promoting the spread of the Gospel in heathen 
 lands." The report was adopted, and the following persons were chosen to 
 constitute, in the first instance, that Board : llis Excellency Jolin Treadwell, 
 Esq., Rev. Timothy Dwight, D. D., (Jen. Jcdidinh Huntington, and Rev. 
 Calvm Cliapin, of Connecticut; Rev. Jose[)li Lyman, I). 1)., Rev. Samuel 
 Spring, 1). I)., William Bartlett, Eh(i., Rev. Samuel Worcester, and Dca. 
 Sanuicl H. Walley, of Massachusetts. 
 
* 
 
 8 
 
 Tlie Commissioners had their first meeting at Farmington, Connecticut, 
 on the 5th of the folloiving September, five only being present ; viz. His 
 Excellency John Treadwell, Esq., Rev. Dr. Joseph Lyman, Rev. Dr. Samuel 
 Spring, Rev. Samuel Worcester, and Rev. Calvin Chapin. The meeting 
 was opened with prayer by Dr. L>Tnan. A constitution was adopted, and 
 officers were chosen. The Prudential Committee appointed, consisted of 
 William Bartlett, Esq., and Rev. Messrs. Spring and Worcester. Mr. Wor- 
 cester was chosen Corresponding Secretary, and an address to the Christian 
 public was prepared, accompanied by a form of subscription. 
 
 A beginning was thus made ; but though the objects of the Board were 
 regarded with favor by some liberal individuals, it was doubtful whether 
 means could be very soon secured in this country to send out and support a 
 distant mission. Yet four young men were ready and waiting to be sent. 
 The eyes of the Prudential Committee were turned to the London Mission- 
 ary Society, which was already in successful operation, and in January, 1811, 
 Mr. Judson was sent to England to confer with the Directors of that society 
 on various points, and to ascertain whether any satisfactory arrangement 
 could be made for prosecuting the work of missions in concert ; so that 
 American missionaries might, for a time, receive their support in part from 
 the London society, without committing themselves wholly to its direction. 
 No such arrangement, however, was made. 
 
 One of the Prudential Committee, from his mercantile habits, probably, 
 was much opposed to any foreign mission, unless there was a fund in reserve, 
 amounting to at least $G0,000, for the support of four missionaries, in case 
 of the inadequacy of receipts by ordinary donations or subscriptions. But 
 another member, the Corresponding Secretary and Clerk of the Committee, 
 was firmly persuaded, that with a proper trust in God, a mission might be 
 commenced just as soon as an eligible field should be opened, whether any 
 such fund could be secured or not. Some eSbrt, however, was made to 
 obtain the fund, but it failed. 
 
 Previous to the mission of Mr. Judson to England, the Committee were 
 once in session at Salem, at the house of Mrs. Mary Norris. This noble 
 woman knocked at the door and called Mr. Bartlett into the entry. "I per- 
 ceive," she said, "that you are in trouble for money. Now if you will give 
 $30,000, I will." He was not prepared for this ; but it should perhaps be 
 mentioned, that he united with her in defraying the principal part of the ex- 
 penses of the mission to England, amounting to about $600. Siie died a 
 few months afterwards, having bequeathed $30,000 to the Board, and 
 §30,000 to the Theological Seminary at Andover. 
 
 The second annual meeting was held at Worcester, Mass., September 18, 
 1811 ; seven members being present. The Prudential Committee were now 
 decided in the opinion, "that the young gentlemen should be retained 
 under the direction of the Board," and that the Board should " trust, under 
 Providence, in the liberality of tlie Christian public in this country, for the 
 means of supporting thcui." Donations to the amount of $1,400 had been 
 received. Messrs. Jud.son, Nott, Ilall and Newell were appointed as miif- 
 sionarics to labor under tlie direction of this Board ; and it was resolved, as 
 
9 
 
 soon as practicable, to establish a mission in the East, attention being turned 
 specially to the Burman Empire, and another in the West, among the Indians 
 of this continent. 
 
 As the country was shut up by a very rigid embargo, there was no imme- 
 diate prospect of an opportunity of procuring a passage for missionaries to 
 the East. But late in January, 1812, Messrs. Newell and Hall, who had 
 been attending to medical studies in Philadelphia, returned hastily, with the 
 intelligence that a vessel was to sail from that port in about two weeks for 
 Calcutta, and would accommodate the missionaries. The Prudential Com- 
 mittee immediately met. It was short notice, and only about 1,200 dollars 
 were at their disposal ; yet, on the 27th of January they resolved to send out 
 the four missionaries. Then another, Mr. Luther Rice, desired to join the 
 mission, and they " dared not reject his request." Three of the missionaries 
 were also to take wives, making eight persons in all. It was soon found that 
 the brig Caravan was also about to sail from Salem for Calcutta, and that 
 she would receive a part of the company. The missionaries were ordained 
 on the Gth of February, in the Tabernacle at Salem, and after some delay, 
 sailed, Messrs. Judson and Newell, with their wives, in the Caravan, from 
 Salem, February 19, and Messrs. Nott, Hall, and Rice, with the wife of Mr. 
 Nott, in the Harmony, from Philadelphia, about the same time. 
 
 In this time of need, " the Lord made it to be remembered that the silver 
 and the gold are Ms. The hearts of the people were wonderfully opened ; 
 money flowed in from all quarters ; and by the time that the Caravan sailed, 
 the Committee were able to meet all the expenses of fitting out the mission- 
 aries, and to advance for each of them a whole year's salary. In addition to 
 this, collections were made at Philadelphia, during the same interval of 
 delay, and delivered to the brethren who sailed from that port, to such an 
 amount, as to make the whole which was paid to the missionaries in advance, 
 equal to their stipulated salary for a year and a quarter, nearly." 
 
 From this small beginning the Board has gone on, until now its annual 
 receipts are about $350,000, and it has under its care, in different parts of 
 the world, about 400 missionary laborers, male and female, sent from this 
 country, and nearly 500 native helpers. The annual meetings, which arc now 
 held in October, from being attended by seven members, as in 1811, or by 
 nine as in 1812, in the parlor of a private dwelling, have come to be occa- 
 sions of fully as deep and extensive interest as any annually recurring 
 religious occasion in the United States. 
 
 ORGANizATiorr, Mode of Operation, &c. 
 
 The officers of the Board are chosen annually, by ballot, and arc, at 
 present, a President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, two 
 Auditors, four Corresponding Secretaries, and a Prudential Committee of 
 eleven. This committee, whose members receive no compensation for their 
 eers'ices, meets at the Missionary House at least once every week, on Tuesday 
 afternoon, for the transaction of business. There are now more than 200 
 corporate members of the Board, residing in at least 1!) different States of tlie 
 Union. These alone, by the charter, are voting members, forming the body 
 corporate ; but the payment of $50, if the person be a clergyman, or $100, 
 
10 
 
 if a layman, constitutes any one an honorary member, who may share fully 
 in the deliberations of the annual meetings. About 11,000 persons have, 
 since the beginning, been thus constituted honorary members. There is also 
 a small number of corresponding members, residing mostly in foreign lands, 
 and chosen, as are the corporate members, by ballot. 
 
 This Board is neither an ecclesiastical nor a denominational body, and is 
 not supported by denominations as such, but by individual Christians. The 
 Commissioners were at first appointed by the General Association of Massa- 
 chusetts, which is Congregational, with power to adopt their own form of 
 organization and their own rules and regulations. By its charter, obtained 
 from the Legislature of Massachusetts, in 1812, the Board elects its own 
 members, witliout limitation as to numbers, or residence, or religious denom- 
 ination ; but not less than one-third of the members must at all times be 
 respectable laymen, and not less than one-third respectable clergymen. In 
 1812, the Secretary, in behalf of the Board, suggested to the General As- 
 sembly of the Presbyterian Church, " the expediency of forming an institu- 
 tion similar to theirs, between which and theirs there might be such co- 
 operation as should promote the, great object of missions amongst the 
 unevangelized nations." The Assembly, however, while they urged the 
 churches under their care to aid in this good work, thought " the business of 
 foreign missions might probably be best managed under a single Board," 
 and so declined forming any separate institution. At the very next meeting 
 of the Board, (Sept. 1812,) thirteen new members were elected, from seven 
 different States, of whom eight, 4 from New York, 2 from New Jersey, and 
 2 from Pennsylvania, were Presbyterians. In 1831, of G2 corporate members, 
 31 were Presbyterians, 24 Congregationalists, G Reformed Dutch, and one 
 Associate Reformed ; and of the 70 ordained missionaries, 39 were Presby- 
 terians, 29 Congregationalists, and 2 Reformed Dutch. Until the division of 
 the General Assembly in 1837, most of the efforts of Presbyterian churches 
 in the United States for foreign missions were made through this Board ; and 
 this is still true of what are called New School Presbyterian churches. The 
 Reformed Dutch church co-operated with the Board until 1857, then forming 
 a separate organization, in the expectation of thus increasing missionary 
 effort. Missionaries from these different denominations have always been 
 sent out without distinction, and generally without even considering their 
 ecclesiastical relations in designating them to their fields of labor. 
 
 The missions, thus formed, arc not controlled by ecclesiastical bodies ; 
 though perhaps they may themselves be considered as, in some sense, such 
 bodies. They are organized and governed as communities, the votes of a 
 majority of the missionaries and male assistant missionaries deciding all 
 questions, in their regular meetings. At the same time, they may enter 
 into organizations among themselves, for fraternal or ecclesiastical pur- 
 poses, as associations or presbyteries, according to circumstances, and the 
 views and preference of the majority. So far as any use of the funds of the 
 Board is involved, the action of the mission is, of course, subject to the 
 revision of the Prudential Conunittee. 
 
 By its charter, the Board is limited to the work of " propagating the Gospel 
 in heathen lands, by supporting missionaries and diffusing a knowledge of 
 
11 
 
 the Holy Scriptures." Its missions are conducted with reference to the 
 ultimate complete evangelization of the nations or communities to which they 
 are sent. They are not regarded as permanent institutions, but are estab- 
 lished to plant the institutions of the Gospel, and to prepare the people 
 themselves to support these institutions ; — to gather churches which are 
 expected to be ultimately self-supporting churches, sustaining their own 
 religious teachers, and acting for the still further propagation of the truth. 
 A leading object, therefore, has ever been, as fast as possible, to educate and 
 train a pious native ministry, who may be fitted to act as pastors of the native 
 churches, and as evangelists in gathering churches. For this purpose, not 
 only have schools of a lower order been established, but seminaries, in which 
 native young men of piety and promise might be thoroughly educated, and 
 also boarding-schools for girls, from which educated native preachers and 
 teachers might obtain suitable partners for life. 
 
 With the same end in view, to raise up Christian churches and communi- 
 ties, which shall be independent of all foreign aid and foreign instruction, 
 much labor has been expended to reduce unwritten languages to a written 
 form, to prepare faithful translations of the Scriptures, and to give a Christian 
 literature to those for whose evangelization the missions have been estab- 
 lished. By the missionaries of this Board fifteen different languages have 
 been reduced to writing, and the Scriptures have been translated, wholly or 
 in part, into more than twenty languages. Still, it is ever inculcated upon 
 the missionaries that they are to regard themselves as sent, emphatically, to 
 preach tlie Gospel, and thus, with Divine assistance, to turn men individually, 
 and at once, " from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto 
 God ;" and that, in all ordinary cases, every other work is to be subordinate 
 to this in the labors of the missions. In relation to other societies, the Board 
 acts strictly upon the principle of non-interference ; in agreement with others 
 considering " certain great centres of human society and marts of commerce, 
 as common ground," to some extent, but in all other cases, avoiding fields of 
 labor which are already occupied by others. 
 
 Results, Statistics. 
 
 The operations of the Board have been crowned with many tokens of 
 Divine favor. This is not the place to give particular accounts of revivals, 
 with which the missions have been favored ; but simple reference may be 
 made to revivals at Ceylon in 1819, 1821, 1824 and '25, 1830 and '31, and 
 1835 ; to the great revival at the Sandwich Islands, in 1838, '39 and '40, as 
 the fruits of which more than twenty thousand persons, giving hopeful evi- 
 dence of piety, were received into the churches ; to many revivals auiong the 
 Nestorians, especially in 1840, 18-1!!, 1850, 1851, and 185G ; to repeated 
 revivals among the Choctaws and other tribes of Indians on this continent ; 
 and to the reformation among the Armenians, obviously a work of Divine 
 grace, and one of deep interest and great promise, though differing from 
 many of the revivals already referred to, which has been in progress for the Inst 
 twelve or fifteen years. In all, from the beginning, more thnn fifty thousand 
 hopeful converts have been gathered into churches connected witii the 
 different missions. None but those who arc thought to give evidence of 
 
12 
 
 true piety are received to the churches, and much care is exercised by 
 the missionaries in receiving members. 
 
 The receipts and expenditures of the Board, for each year since its organi- 
 zation, and for each period of four years, are presented in the following table. 
 
 Tear. Periods. Beceipts. Periods of 4 Tears. Expenditures. Periods. 
 
 1811, $999 52 $999 
 
 1812, 13,611 50 #9,699 
 
 1813, 11,361 18 8,611 
 
 1814, 12,265 56 7,078 
 
 1815, 9,493 89 5,027 
 
 $ 46,732 $ 30,415 
 
 1816, 12,501 03 15,934 
 
 1817, 29,948 63 20,485 
 
 1818, 34,727 72 30,346 
 
 1819, 37,520 63 40,337 
 
 114,698 113,102 
 
 1820, 39,949 45 57,621 
 
 1821, 46,354 95 46,771 
 
 1822, 60,087 87 60,474 
 
 1823, 55,758 94 66,380 
 
 202,151 231,246 
 
 1824, 47,483 58 54,1.57 
 
 1825, 55,716 18 41,469 
 
 1826, 61,616 25 59,012 
 
 1827, 88,341 89 103,430 
 
 253,157 258,068 
 
 1828, 102,009 64 107,676 
 
 1829, 106,928 26 92,533 
 
 1830, 83,019 37 84,798 
 
 1831, 100,934 09 98,313 
 
 392,891 383,320 
 
 1832, 130,574 12 120,954 
 
 1833, 145,847 77 149,906 
 
 1834, 152,386 10 159,779 
 
 1835, 163,340 19 163,254 
 
 592,148 693,893 
 
 1836, 176,232 15 210,407 
 
 1837, 252,076 55 2.54,589 
 
 1838, 236,170 98 230,642 
 
 1839, 244,169 82 227,491 
 
 908,649 923,129 
 
 1840, 241,691 04 246,601 
 
 1841, 235,189 30 268,914 
 
 1842, 318,396 53 261.147 
 
 1843, 244,254 43 256,687 
 
 1,039,531 1,033,349 
 
 1844, 236,394 37 244,371 
 
 1845, 255,112 96 216,817 
 
 1846, 262,073 55 257,605 
 
 1847, 211,402 76 204,783 
 
 9. 964,983 983,576 
 
 1848, 254,056 46 282,330 
 
 1849, 291,705 27 263,418 
 
 1850, 2.51,862 28 254,329 
 
 1851, 274,002 21 274,830 
 
 10. 1,072,626 1,084,907 
 
 1852, 301,732 70 257,727 
 1863, 314,922 88 310,607 
 18.54, 305,778 84 322,142 
 
 1855, 310,427 77 318,893 
 
 11. 1,232,862 1,209,369 
 
 1856, 307,318 69 323.000 
 
 1857, 388,932 69 355,590 
 
 1858, 334,018 48 372,042 
 
 1859, 350,915 45 376,419 
 
 12. 1,381,185 1,427,051 
 
 8,202,512 8,271,425 
 
13 
 
 It will be seen, that with only one exception, in each period of four years 
 there has been an advance upon the receipts of the previous period. But 
 though there has been, on the whole, constant progress, the receipts have 
 often fallen below the expenditures, and there have been several seasons of 
 great pecuniary embarrassment in the operations of the Board. In 1837 
 embarrassments of this kind occurred, the sad effects of which were deeply 
 and widely felt. For some years previous to 1836 the means provided had 
 been sufficient ; the Prudential Committee felt encouraged to enter upon 
 new and enlarged operations, and the call was specially for men, while the 
 churches supposed there would be no difficulty in regard to means. At the 
 annual meeting in 1836, it was announced that 64 missionary laborers were 
 then under appointment, who were expecting soon to be sent abroad ; but 
 there was a balance of about $39,000 against the treasury at the close of 
 the financial year, (July 31,) and that balance was increasing. The voice of 
 the meeting, however, and the voice of the churches, still was, "let the 
 missionaries be sent ;" and the means seemed likely to be provided. From 
 October, 1836, to February, 1837, the receipts greatly increased, and in the 
 mean time 60 laborers, male and female, had embarked for their respective 
 fields. But now there came a financial crisis, of great severity, in the affairs 
 of the country. The receipts of the Board rapidly diminished, and the debt 
 rapidly increased. The Committee felt obliged to stop. Laborers under 
 appointment were detained, and new missionaries were appointed only on 
 condition that they would not be sent out, and must be at no expense to the 
 Board, until the state of the treasury should warrant it. Thus discouraged, 
 many turned from regarding the heathen world and looked for other fields 
 of Christian labor. But this was not all. Difficulties still increasing, the 
 Committee felt called upon, in June, to curtail the appropriations which had 
 been made in the missions for the year 1838, by $40,000 ; and the missions 
 were informed of the painful necessity, and required to contract their opera- 
 tions. With 60 more laborers to be supported, the pecuniary means of the 
 missions were thus reduced $45,000 below what iiad been allowed in 1836. 
 The effect was deeply painful. Every missionary was embarrassed, and 
 every branch of missionary operations crippled. Scliools were broken up or 
 greatly reduced, and in Ceylon alone, 5,000 children were dismissed from 
 under Christian instruction "to the wilderness of heathenism ;" the facilities 
 for preacliing were abridged ; the operations of presses were greatly dimin- 
 ished ; native teachers and other helpers were deprived of employment ; 
 native Christians were disheartened, and the opposing heathen triumphed. 
 
 Still, the influence of this reverse was not simply evil. The missions, the 
 Christian public at home, and the Prudential Committee, all learned some 
 iini)ortant lessons ; and a new impulse was given to missionary cflxirt, partic- 
 ularly in the rural districts of the country, where the intelligence of the dis- 
 astrous influence of such reduced appropriations was received. The finan- 
 cial embarrassments were felt, first and most severely, in the cities and larger 
 towns ; those in such communities who would have given liboruUy, found 
 thenxselves deprived of the means of giving ; the country churchrs were 
 thus called upon to come with more liberality to the support of tlic inission- 
 2 
 
14 
 
 ary work, and in these churches the amount contributed, and doubtless also 
 the number of contributors, greatly increased. 
 
 Such painful consequences of financial difficulty have never since occurred, 
 and it may yet be hoped and believed, will never again occur in the history 
 of this Board. The treasury was not fully relieved until 1842. Indeed, in 
 1841 the debt had increased to $57,000 ; and for five years again, from 1847 
 to 1851, there was a constant balance against the treasury. In 1848 this 
 balance was $59,890. But while all proper economy has been used, and the 
 appropriations to the missions have been limited to the lowest safe amount, 
 the operations have been steadily carried forward, and relief has come. 
 At present, as the friends of the Board well know, the Treasury is again 
 suffering under serious embarrassment. 
 
 Until 1838 the Board had no permanent building for the accommodation 
 of its business at Boston, which has ever been the centre of its operations, 
 and much inconvenience and loss had been experienced from frequent 
 removals. In that year an eligible site was purchased in Pemberton Square, 
 and a substantial building erected ; the whole expense being met from per- 
 manent funds, which could not be used to sustain the missions or to pay the 
 debts. In addition to this building, the Board now has invested funds, of 
 which the interest only may be used, amounting to $104,000. 
 
 The following is a summary view of the missions, as presented in the last 
 
 Annual Report of the Board. 
 
 Missions. 
 
 Number of Missions, 26 
 
 " " Stations, 127 
 
 " " Out-stations, ■ . . .131 
 
 Laborers Employed. 
 Number of ordained Missionaries (8 being Physicians), 170 
 
 " " Physicians not ordained, .... 5 
 
 " " other Male Assistants 14 
 
 " " Female Assistants 210 
 
 Whole number of laborers sent from this country, . 399 
 
 Number of Native Pastors, 21 
 
 " " Native Preachers 222 
 
 " " Native Helpers) 254 
 
 Whole number of Native Helpers 497 
 
 " " " laborers connected with the Missions, 896 
 
 The Press. 
 
 Number of Printing Establishments 5 
 
 Pages printed last year, as far as reported, 41,629,940 
 
 " " from the beginning 1,194,720,869 
 
 The Churches. 
 
 Number of Churches, (including all at the Sandwich Islands,) . . . 163 
 " " Church Members, (do. do.) so far as reported,* . . 23,515 
 Added during the year, (do. do.) 1,279 
 
 Educational Departvuent. 
 
 Number of Seminaries, 7 
 
 " " other Boarding Schools, 19 
 
 «< " Free Schools, (omitting those at Sandwich Islands,) . . 313 
 " " Pupils in Free Schools, (omitting those at S. I.) 7,911 
 
 " " " " Seminaries 401 
 
 " ' Boarding Schools, . . 680 
 
 Whole number in Seminaries and Schools, . . . 8,892 
 
 * The repoft from the churchei at the Sandwich lalandi !• dufeetiva. 
 
15 
 
 The follo^ving table presents the more important statistics of the missions 
 at different periods, separated by intervals of ten years, commencing with 
 1823, eleven years after the first missionaries were sent out. 
 
 ma 
 
 1813 
 1853 
 
 '■s 
 
 c 
 
 s 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 9b 
 
 .2 
 38 
 
 a 
 o 
 *• 
 « 
 
 C « 
 
 o 
 
 29 
 85 
 131 
 157 
 
 a 
 
 •3 
 
 P i 
 
 i ^ 
 
 To 
 
 a. 1 
 
 "i 3 
 
 5 ^ 1 5 a 
 
 CD 
 tl 
 
 eS 
 
 s. 
 
 V 
 EB 
 
 i E 
 
 OB 
 
 &> 
 
 1 
 
 W • 
 
 o S 
 
 ir " 
 
 d , 
 
 « iS 
 
 be si 
 
 c H 
 c "f 
 
 S" 
 
 a 
 
 •o'g' 
 
 ■2 
 
 B o 
 
 'u "S 
 c . 
 
 X = 
 o c = 
 60 ^- '3 
 
 e8 
 
 1 
 c 
 
 CO 
 
 a 
 
 V 
 
 a ^ 
 
 -! , 
 
 .= ' a • 
 t; 1 o c 
 * !— c 
 
 •3 • 
 
 1'" 
 
 "o 
 o 
 
 u 
 
 Pupils in free 
 gchools. ^ 
 
 8 25 
 2i; i6 
 26 86 
 28| 111 
 
 42^ 65 
 44i 137 
 39 178 
 
 2lji 205 
 
 3i 4 
 4 50 
 14 116 
 39| 192 
 
 10^ 
 
 39 1,940 
 62 20,7a7 
 103 25,714 
 
 16 
 »' 
 
 442,056,185 
 908,132,478 
 
 2 
 7 
 9 
 
 201 
 524 
 487 
 
 l| £0 
 
 22 699 
 
 23 645 
 
 I 
 
 70 
 
 610 
 712 
 
 3.000 
 56,000 
 30,778 
 21,993 
 
 It is hardly necessary to dwell here upon the present condition and wants 
 of the missions. The facts may be easily gathered from the late Annual 
 Reports, the brief Annual Survey published each year, in January, in the 
 Missionary Herald, and from the correspondence of the missionaries, found 
 in the Herald. 
 
 GENERAL RHSSIONARY STATISTICS. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing sketch of the origin and progress of the Amer- 
 ican Board and its missions, it is presumed that many pastors will be glad to 
 possess at least a genera! statement of what is now doing by other missionary 
 societies. Some statistical articles have been published in the Journal of 
 Missions during the past year, portions of which, with the tables, will be 
 given here, without much change. The Journal says : 
 
 "The impossibility of obtaining accjrate and full statistics of existing 
 foreign missionary operations is often quite perplexing. So defective are the 
 reports of some societies, and so various are the modes of classifying labor- 
 ers, adopted by different bodies, that it is not possible to gather from pub- 
 lished documents even the exact number of missionary laborers now employ- 
 ed among the unevangelized. Still more entirely defective and perplexing 
 are returns found to be, when an effort is made to ascertain who among the 
 laborers are ordained missionaries, who male and who female assistants from 
 Christian lands, and who, in various capacities, native helpers." 
 
 Progress. 
 
 " But though full and exact statements as to what the Christian church is 
 now doing for the pagan world cannot be made, it is easy to ascertain that, 
 on tlie one hand, there has been, of late, great and most cheering progress, 
 and tli.it, on the other hand, immensely greater progress is yet called for. 
 
 "Previo\is to the latest years of the last century, very little of organized, 
 systematic and persistent effort for tiio conversion of pagan nations had been 
 made, in modern times, by any branch of tlic evangelical Ciiristian ciuirch, 
 excepting the Moravians. Occasional and temporary efforts, 8()ii)(> of them 
 worthy of very higli commendation, had been made,— by the church of 
 (jencva in 155t); by Swedisii Christians, in Lapland, near die close of the 
 
16 
 
 16.th century ; by the Dutch, early in the 17th century ; nobly, in the same 
 century, by Eliot, the Mnyhews and others in Massachusetts ; by the king of 
 Denmark, as early as 1705 : and by Sargent, Edwards, and above all, Brain- 
 erd, in the United States, before the middle of the last century. Tlie English 
 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, was chartered 
 in 1701, but its operations have always had reference, mainly, to the religious 
 interests of English colonies. 
 
 " In 1732 the Moravians sent out their first missionaries. ' Their entire 
 congregation did not then exceed 000 persons, and of these, the greater part 
 were suffering exiles. Yet so noble and extensive were the exertions which 
 they made, and so abundantly were their unostentatious endeavors blessed 
 by the great Head of tiic church, that within ten years their heralds had pro- 
 claimed salvation in Greenland, St. Croix, Surinam and Rio de Berbice ; to 
 the Indians of North America and the negroes of South Carolina ; in Lap- 
 land, Tartary and Algiers ; in Guinea, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in 
 Ceylon.' But though having this example to remind of duty, and encourage, 
 other branches of the Christian church slumbered still, and scores of years 
 passed away with so little movement, that when, about the year 1784, Carey 
 proposed, as a topic for discussion in a Baptist ministers' meeting, 'The duty 
 of Christians to attempt the spread of the Gospel among heathen nations,' it 
 excited great surprise, and he was called an enthusiast by his brethren, for 
 entertaining such a notion ! At length, however, 'the fullness of the time 
 ■was come.' In 1792, the Baptists of England formed their Missionary Soci- 
 ety, and soon, with Carey for a noble pioneer, entered on their foreign work. 
 It was like the letting out of water. Gradually, but now with comparative 
 rapidity, the conviction spread that the Christian church should, without 
 more delay, attempt the evangelization of the heathen. Otiier branches of 
 the church moved, other societies were organized, — the London Missionary 
 Society in 1795 ; the Edinburg and the Glasgow Missionary Societies in 
 179G; the Netherlands Missionary Society in 1797; the Church Missionary 
 Society in 1800; the Society for Propagating Christianity among the Jews 
 in 1808; and the American Board in 1810. To the credit of the English 
 Wesleyans it should be stated, that although their Missionary Society can- 
 not be named as among those earliest formed, they were a missionary body 
 almost from their origin, and had been more or less engaged in foreign work 
 for some years before the tbrmation of the Baptist Society. 
 
 " Since 1810, many other organizations, laboring for unevangelized portions 
 of the human family, have come into being,— as many as IG in Great Britain, 
 20 upon tlie continent in Europe, 2 in British North America, and 15 in the 
 United States. Nearly, if not quite, every branch of the evangelical Protes- 
 tant Christian church, is now found to have entered on the foreign missionary 
 work. Moravians, Episcopalians and Lutherans ; Presbyterians — English, 
 Scotch, Irish, Dutch, and American; Established Church, and Free Church ; 
 Old School, and New School; Baptist — Northern and Soutlicrn, Close- 
 communion, Free-will, and Seventh day ; Congrcgationalists and Methodists, 
 of all classes, have now their missionary boards. 
 
 " What means this moving of the waters ? He who has wonderfully, in 
 modern times, thrown the nations open and prepared the world for Cliristian 
 effort, has at the same time moved his whole church to efibrt ! Has he not 
 done it with great ends in view ? " 
 
 Nt'MBER OF IjABORERS. 
 
 "The number of ordained laborers from Christian lands, now engaged in 
 the foreign missionary enterprise of the Protestant (^liristian church, cannot 
 be perfectly ascertained ; but exclusive of those laboring among Jews and 
 Roman Catholics, and in some of the nominally Protestant countries of 
 Europe, and classing all the 'brethren' of tiic Moravian missions with the 
 ordained, (no distinction being made in their reports,) it is more than 1,500. 
 
17 
 
 With these are associated, probably, about 2,000 male and female helpers, 
 also from Christian lands ; and of native laborers, from among the people 
 where the missions are situated, more than 100 ordained ministers, and some 
 thousands of unordained preachers, catechists, teachers, &c. 
 
 " Looking at different portions of the world, that we may see how these 
 laborers are distributed, we find of ordained missionaries connected with 
 different missions, though not at any time all on the ground, (still including 
 all the Moravian ' brethren,') in Western Africa, about 116 ; Southern Africa, 
 163 ; Nortlicrn and Eastern Africa, G. In Western Asia, European Turkey 
 and Greece, 76. In Southern Asia, — India, Burmah, Ceylon and Siam, 478. 
 In Borneo and the Indian Archipelago, 36. In China, 87, and Thibet, 3. 
 Among tlie islands of the Pacific Ocean, 140. Among the North American 
 Indians, and in Labrador and Greenland, 171. In the West India Islands 
 and on adjacent coasts of America, 23(i. 
 
 " It is thus apparent that something is being done. The church is not now 
 all sleeping, as to so large an extent and for so many centuries it did sleep, 
 over the condition of the pagan world, doing nothing to enlighten and to 
 save. Yet let it be considered, that the unevangelizod portions of the hu- 
 man family, including those who, though nominally Christian, stand hardly 
 less in need of the pure Gospel than the heathen, must number more than 
 900,000,000. To give one preacher to every ten thousand souls, we need, 
 not fifteen hundred, but ninety thousand missionaries. What supply is this 
 — two hundred and eighty missionaries for all the continent of Africa ; four 
 hundred and eighty for the two hundred millions of men in India, Burmah 
 and Siam ; and about eighty for the four hundred millions of China I Six 
 preachers of the Gospel for the whole population of the United States, 
 would supply us as well as China is now supplied ! 
 
 " Enough missionaries from Christian lands to supply the world with 
 preachers, cannot be sent. Missions must commence the work, and raise up 
 churches and preachers on the ground, to go forward with it. Still, obvi- 
 ously, as yet, our vii.isionarij work is but co.mmenced. Yet when we reflect 
 that it has grown to its present magnitude almost wiiolly within sixty years 
 — that of all the fields at which we have glanced, sixty years ago but very 
 few were occupied — we are constrained to say : ' This is the Lord's doing ; 
 it is marvellous in our eyes.' " 
 
 Income of Missionary Societies. 
 
 " Small as are, now, the contributions of most churches, and most individual 
 Christians, for the great work of evangelizing the world ; inadequate as are, 
 at present, the receipts of most Missionary Societies ; and frequent and 
 urgent as are appeals for more pecuniary means ; some encouragement may 
 also be gathered, certainly, from contrasting the present with the past in 
 this rcspLxt. When the American Board was formed, in 1610, the whole 
 annual income of all the Protestant Foreign Missionary Societies then ex- 
 isting, probably did not amount to 5;200,000. The receipts of the English 
 Church Missionary Society were then but about $1.'>,000 per annum, those of 
 the English Baptist Missionary Society, not far from $20,000, and those 
 of the London Missionary Society, perhaps ,*80,000. The few other tiicn 
 existing Societies have ever been comparatively small. 
 
 " Since that time, while the number of distinct organizations for the pros- 
 ecution of this work has greatly iiicreas(!d, (amounting now to more than 
 forty,) tiio income of the older, as well as of many of tlie newer SorieticH, 
 has also largely increased. For the year rej)orted in the following tables, 
 the whole income of the English Ciuirch Missionary Society exceeded 
 $800,000; that of the London Missionary Society wjis about $4ti."),0()(), and 
 tiiat of the English Wesleyan Society, $(>4r),()00. Tiie English Rjiptist 
 Society received $130,000, the Foreign Mission Scheme of the Free Ciuirch 
 
18 
 
 of Scotland, $80,000, and that of the Church of Scotland, $40,000. Thus 
 the united income of these six Societies, for the year ending in 1859, ex- 
 ceeded $2,000,000. In the United States, the income of the American 
 Board, for the same year, was about $351,000; of the Presbyterian Board, 
 $212,000 ; of the Baptist Union, about $102,000 ; and of the Episcopal Board, 
 $99,000. The receipts of the Methodist Missionary Society, for Home and 
 Foreign Missions, were about $185,000; the expenses connected with their 
 Foreign Missions, not far from $84,000. 
 
 " There is another pleasant fact in this connection. While the number of 
 contributors has been greatly increasing, some have been learning to give 
 in much larger sums than formerly. A very considerable number now give, 
 annually, by hundreds, and some by thousands of dollars, to this single cause. 
 On making some inquiry, a few years since, it was found that more than one- 
 twentieth part of all that the American Board had received in donations, the 
 previous year, was given by sixty individuals. Most of the same persons 
 who are yet living, probably do fully as much, many of them more, from year 
 to year now. But a much larger number of individuals might be found, of 
 fully as much ability as these possess, and who do what they do for the cause 
 of missions through the same Board, whose united annual contributions would 
 hardly support, in the foreign field, one preacher of the gospel. At the same 
 time, it was found that more than one-tenth of the whole amount of the 
 previous year's donations (or .f. 30,559) came from tliirteen churches in Massa- 
 chusetts, connected with which there were then 5,176 members. Other 
 thirteen churches in the same State were found, with, in all, 5,170 members, 
 whose contributions for the same year amounted to $2,(543 only ; less than 
 one-hnndredth part of the income from donations. 
 
 " It is apparent, therefore, that there is great inequality, and great room for 
 improvement. But there is, perhaps, ground for hope, and expectation of 
 future progress, in the very fact that, as yet, so few have learned to devise 
 liberal things. When all the churches can be induced to do for this cause 
 as a few are now doing ; still more, when all Christ's disciples can be induced 
 to do in any good measure as they should, or even as some now do, the income 
 of our missionary societies may be counted, not by thousands, but by mil- 
 lions." 
 
 The Tables. 
 
 " Much time and labor have been expended in efforts to make tlie following 
 tables as complete as possible ; yet they must be taken as indications of what 
 has been attcmplcd, and not, by any means, as finished and satisfactory. 
 Some of the difficulties encountered in any such attempt to procure accurate 
 statistics have been already mentioned. The latest reports, also, of some of 
 tlie smaller missionary societies have not been accessible. When figures are 
 given, and there is yet special nncertainh/, from any cause, as to their correct- 
 ness, a mark of interrogation is annexed, designed to indicate tliis uncertainty. 
 There are doubtless inaccuracies in cases not thus designated, and, in very 
 many instances, blanks are left, when it would be very i)lcasant, were it pos- 
 sible, to give tiie facts. In most cases the statistics are from reports of the 
 year 1858 ; in a few instances, rejjorts of the present year, (1859,) were 
 available. Missionaries to the .lews, to lloinan Catholics, and to some nomi- 
 nally Protestant European nations, are not included in the tables." 
 
 [As now published, th"" income of nrarly all the Amorican, ard of the four first 
 meiitioiied Knfjlish Societies, viz., the Church, the I,ondon, the Wcsleynn, and the 
 Ciiptist, is given for the year ending in 1859. Other statistics have not been clianged.] 
 
GENERAL VIEW OE EOREIGN MISSIONS. 
 
 SOCIETIES. 
 
 Missionaries. 
 
 Male assistant mis- 
 sionaries. 
 
 Total of male Ameri- 
 can or European 
 laborers. 
 
 Female helpers. 
 
 (American or Euro- 
 pean.) 
 
 Ordained native 
 preachers. 
 
 Unordained native 
 preachers. 
 
 Total of native 
 preachers. 
 
 Other native helpers. 
 
 Members of church c;.. 
 
 Pupils in schools. 
 
 Income of the Society. 
 
 American Societies. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 173 
 
 15 
 
 188 
 
 208 
 
 20 
 
 188 
 
 208 
 
 314 
 
 27,740 
 
 17,020 
 
 $ 350.915 
 
 l^resby terian Board, (including Rcfornied Presbyterians,) 
 
 65 
 
 22 
 
 87 
 
 90 
 
 3? 
 
 35? 
 
 38? 
 
 
 211,968 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3? 
 
 
 
 3? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 American Missionary Association, ..... 
 
 1.5 
 
 8 
 
 23 
 
 20 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 1,493 
 
 613 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 14 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 326 
 
 157? 
 
 25,035 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 5? 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 86 
 
 457 
 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 21 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 321 
 
 1,453? 
 
 99,476 
 
 
 48 
 
 3? 
 
 51? 
 
 39? 
 
 
 
 30? 
 
 
 2,556 
 
 t84,000? 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3,869 
 
 1,261 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 40 
 
 43 
 
 30 
 
 214 
 
 246 
 
 
 16,3:16 
 
 102,140 
 
 
 40? 
 
 26 
 
 66? 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 27? 
 
 11 
 
 1,225 
 
 633 
 
 39,824 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 79 
 
 
 4,013 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,952 
 
 Baptist Free Mission i y, . . 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T t 1 
 
 463 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 European Societies. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J^nglisli V'tiurcH Alissionary oociety, .... 
 
 186 
 
 42 
 
 228 
 
 
 41 
 
 
 
 2,100 
 
 18,560 
 
 25,156 
 
 £ 161,376 
 
 
 122 
 
 13 
 
 135 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18,221 
 
 33.977 
 
 93,431 
 
 
 198 
 
 18 
 
 216 
 
 
 
 104? 
 
 44 
 
 950 
 
 80,307 
 
 92,912 
 
 129,076 
 
 I3aptist Missionary Society, ...... 
 
 68? 
 
 7? 
 
 75? 
 
 
 8? 
 
 112? 
 
 
 
 26,513 
 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 324 
 
 
 4,464 
 
 
 8? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8,264 
 
 ^ree Church of Scotland, • * .• • 
 
 28 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 14 
 
 79 
 
 611 
 
 9,696 
 
 16,028 
 
 oociety tor tiie i ropagation 01 tne tjospei,^ ... 
 
 82? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,5'JO 
 
 
 4? 
 
 
 
 
 1? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28? 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20,448 
 
 
 3? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 AVelsh Presbyterians and Calvinistic Methodists, . . 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 English Chinese Evangelization Society, ... 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 164? 
 
 
 164 
 
 143 
 
 
 
 
 
 20,193 
 
 
 14,553 
 
 
 51 
 
 18 
 
 69 
 
 
 
 
 
 76 
 
 1,212 
 
 2,342 
 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 146 
 
 
 8,290 
 
 
 
 31 
 
 5? 
 
 36? 
 
 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 1,741 
 
 
 
 French Evangelical Missionary Society, .... 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 76? 
 
 
 
 
 
 11? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3,229? 
 
 1,100 
 
 1,994 
 
 Uerlin Missionarv Society, ...... 
 
 15? 
 
 2? 
 
 17? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $ 18,000? 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Norwegian Missionary Society, ■ . . . . 
 
 1? 
 
 6? 
 
 7? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gosner's Missionary Society 
 
 5? 
 
 13? 
 
 18? 
 
 12? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,075 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,538 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 • The receipts of the Association for its last reported year, were $50,512, for all its missions, Forei^ and Home. 
 
 t The receipts of the Missionnn- Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church are for all missionary purposes, Foreign and Domestic, no distinction being' made. It 
 cannot be said, therefore, with perfect accuracy, what is the income for Foreign Missions. 
 
 J The reports of this Society do not disting-uish, in its missions among the North American Indians, between missionaries from the United States and ordained 
 natives. Seventeen of its missionaries in Africa are colored " colonists." 
 
 $ Most of the operations of this Society are among English colonists, and there are no means of knowing fully how many of its 406 mieBionarics arc laboring for 
 the unevangeliied. 
 
19 
 
 The following tables, in connection with one already given (page 12) of 
 the receipts of the American Board, will serve to indicate, in some measure, 
 the progress which is being made in missionary effort by some branches of 
 the Christian church. The receipts of the two English societies, it will be 
 noticed, are given in pounds sterling, and must be multiplied by five to 
 reduce them to dollars. 
 
 Receipts of the General Assembly s Board of Foreign Missions.'^ 
 
 Tear. 
 
 1838, 
 1839, 
 
 1840, 
 1841, 
 1842, 
 1843, 
 
 1844, 
 1845, 
 1846, 
 1847, 
 
 1848, 
 1849, 
 1850, 
 1851, 
 
 1852, 
 1853, 
 1854, 
 1855, 
 
 185fi, 
 1857, 
 1858, 
 1859, 
 
 Beceipts. 
 
 $44,748 
 5(j,150 
 
 54,425 
 G2,344 
 58,924 
 54,760 
 
 66,674 
 72,117 
 76,395 
 82,739 
 
 89,165 
 96,294 
 104,665 
 108,544 
 
 117,882 
 122,615 
 140,719 
 138,797 
 
 145,202 
 1.58,189 
 179,210 
 161,368 
 
 Periods. 
 
 1100,898 
 
 230,453 
 
 297,925 
 
 398,668 
 
 520,013 
 
 643,969 
 
 Av. Annual Beceipts. 
 
 50,449 
 
 57,613 
 
 74,481 
 
 99,667 
 
 130,003 
 
 160,992 
 
 * The gr&ni* of Bible and Tract Bocietics, and appropriatioaa from the United States GoTern- 
 menl fur Indian missions, have been deducted. 
 
 t For two years only. 
 
20 
 
 Receipts of the Church Missionary Society, England. 
 
 Tear. 
 
 Keceipts. Periods. 
 
 Av. Annual Receipts. 
 
 183G, 
 
 £ 70,4G5 
 
 
 1837, 
 
 74,731 
 
 
 1838, 
 
 91,723 
 
 
 1839, 
 
 95,505 332,424 
 
 £ 83,106 
 
 1840, 
 
 104,304 
 
 
 1841, 
 
 101,576 
 
 
 1842, 
 
 113,263 
 
 
 1843, 
 
 111,875 431,018 
 
 107,754 
 
 1844, 
 
 103,661 
 
 
 1845, 
 
 102,495 
 
 
 184G, 
 
 105,0.59 
 
 
 1847, 
 
 119,410 430,625 
 
 107,456 
 
 1848, 
 
 115,012 
 
 
 1849, 
 
 101,003 
 
 
 1850, 
 
 94,401 
 
 
 1851, 
 
 101,.554 411,970 
 
 102,992 
 
 1852, 
 
 118,674 
 
 
 1853, 
 
 120,932 
 
 
 1854, 
 
 123,915 
 
 
 1855, 
 
 124,260 487,781 
 
 121,945 
 
 185(5, 
 
 127,782 
 
 
 1857, 
 
 136,000 
 
 
 1858, 
 
 164,484 
 
 
 1859, 
 
 161,376 589,642 
 
 147,410 
 
 Receipts of the London Missionary Society. 
 
 Tear.- 
 
 Receipts. Periods. 
 
 Av. Annual Keceipts. 
 
 1836, 
 
 £ 63,714 
 
 
 1837, 
 
 71,335 
 
 
 1838, 
 
 84,821 
 
 
 1839, 
 
 80,321 300,191 
 
 £ 75,047 
 
 1840, 
 
 94,954 
 
 
 1841, 
 
 96,771 
 
 
 1842, 
 
 91,795 
 
 
 1843, 
 
 93,947 377,467 
 
 94,366 
 
 1844, 
 
 89,124 
 
 
 1845, 
 
 90,715 
 
 
 1846, 
 
 82,991 
 
 
 1847, 
 
 81,183 344,013 
 
 86,003 
 
 1848, 
 
 87,925 
 
 
 1849, 
 
 ()7,563 
 
 
 1850, 
 
 ()4,642 
 
 
 1851, 
 
 7-i,'.aD2 292,422 
 
 73,105 
 
 1852, 
 
 72,778 
 
 
 1853, 
 
 71,821 
 
 
 1854, 
 
 76,781 
 
 
 1855, 
 
 5<»,(i05 281,045 
 
 70,261 
 
 18.56, 
 
 82,331 
 
 
 1857, 
 
 ()7,277 
 
 
 1858, 
 
 84,150 
 
 
 1859, 
 
 !j3,4;jl 327,189 
 
 81,797