Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-09-18
American Board Of Missions.
From the Morning Chronicle

10y o FFVUVUVIHNUV uTT1 THFVIVlI TIVNtIT-- IN TIuTI- 1
)er in attendance is very large. Mr.. Frelingbuysen pre- c
,des; the business meetings are in DR.. Cox's church; /
he annual sermon was preached there on Tuesday eve
aing. by President Hopkins, of Williams College; the
missionary meeting Wednesday evening was to be in
Mr., Spears, and the Lords supper yesterday in Dr.
Missionary prayer meetings every morning,
s till 8 o'clock.
The treasurer's report shows an income of S255,11
being an increase of S1S,718. Payments for current
expenses, $2l6,S17, being 1927 ,553 less than the pre-
ceding year, and $3S,295 less than the receipts; and
leaving, after cancelling the debt, S17,295 nthe treas
ury.
There are, under the care of the board, 2G missions,
embracing 90 stations; 13l ordained missionaries, 3 OF
whom are physicians; 6 physicians ordained, IA school
masters, s printers and book-binders, II other male ant
1S1 female assistant missionaries-in all, 355 persons
sent forth from this country with whom are associat-
ed in the missionary work, II native preachers, and
ll6 other native helpers; raising the whole number Of
laborers at the several missions, and dependant princl-
pally on the board for support, to 468.
Under the PASTORAL care of these missionaries, and
gathered by them, are Is churches, embracing 1866
members. Thirteen printing establishments are con-
nected with these missions, having 5 type and stereo-
type f%oundres, 20 presses, 30 tounts Of type, and prep
a%rations to print in more than thirty different languages.
During the year under review, 174,82l copies of vari-
Gus works have been printed for the missions, amount
ing to 34,S30,7l0 pages; and raising the whole amount
of printing executed at the mission presses, or other.
wise, for the missions, to 475,7g5%54 pages.
Six mission seminaries for educating native preach
ers, and other helpers, have 440 pupils; and q other
boarding schools, with l:(C5 upils, make the number
of boarding scholars LAS. The free schools, includ-
ING those of the Sandwich Islands, now mainly suppor-
ted by the Hawaiian government, though commenced
and carried forward by the missions. and still receiving
much care from it, are GIG, with tS,e7l pupils; making
the whole number of pupils to be 3C,lS7.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Rev. DIR. Woods, of Andoyer, chairman of the com
mittee appointed last year, en- the subject ofthe con-
n~ection of the board with slavery, then rose in the pull
pit, and read an elaborate report upon that subject. We
find an abstract of this report in the Express, which is
not very lucid, however the report may have been. II
is the only sketch we have seen, and we therefore copy
it, on account of the general interest felt in the sub
ject:-
The committee did not deem it necessary to discuss
the general character of slavery, and its malign opera.
tons; but to confne themselves to a statement of the
principles that should actuate the board, in its course
relating to the subject; together with some facts r6la
tive to slayoholding, in connection with the board.
l.. In the manner of preaching the gospel, and every
thing ~relatingto the minlstrations Of religion, there
should be a strict adherence to the gospel and to the
example of Christ and his apostles.
9. The primary aim of missions should be the saving
VI SOule, dCCuiulh1 w Tit IoilillSoluHS gwen ny Nuls
to those who are to propagate his word.
3. The ordinance Of Christ cannot be denied to sucl
of the heather rs give evidence of being converted.
4. Missionaries, acting upon the gospel, are the
rightful and exclusive Judges Of what constitutes true
piety in converts.
5. They should give such instructions, from the Cos
pei, as under their circumstances, they deem most fit
The neglect of duty, and the commission Of any known
sin, are to be robukcd by them, whenever and wherev
ar hroItfrl+ ,,pIar +i,oir pNtro md VvitIiN THAR lpou1
edge.
Civil and social condition is a secondary consdera.
ton to the great object of the conversion of men t
Christianity.
The evils of slavery will probably be met, in every
place, by efforts to remove or modify them. They are
those of human nature, in its fallen state, and are to be
met by the same influences which are brought to beal
upon other sins. 1t is an extensive system, all arounc
the worlds based upon the worst principles ant
must call forth the heartiest condemnation of all true
), Christians, aud their desire to overthrow it. This car
be effected in no other manner, than by the preva
lence of Justice and piety. 1t is not the only socia
evil to be met in the missionary work.-There are thu
r castles Of India, so deeply degrading to, and so BLENDED
a with, That ~country's institutions and people. Despotl
government and Its e%Xactlons, too, are hlndrances t
the missionary labors.
I Is this board to be held responsible for working gu
n reorganizqtions in the social system, without first incuI
G eating the ordinances of the gospel, and converting
:, those who infict these evils to CltlstIlnity? The com
mittee thought not. BY such influences as this boar
> should exercise, in their operations, in the inculcatio
of religious principles, the evils complained of were, i
: their opinion, to be effectively renedied|each mis-
sionary acting on his best Judgment and responsibility
which in the opinion of the committee, cannot be Il
e Bird rcd without injury to the missionary and to til
+ welfare of the heathen,
!, The report goes on to allude to the action Of the mis-
sionaries on the subject Of slavery, as existing on tn
fields of their labors. The Cherokee anl Chlctly
tribes alone hold slaves, o fall among whom there ar
}. missionary stations established: 583 among the Cher
%olees: among the Choctlws snlller in 1870: increase
ofcoursa. since then, by births, not purchased; by bot
y tribes, (30,000) about 1000 slaves in the h1nls OF mix
G ed blooded Indians: very few in hands of full bloole
: Indians.
Her missionaries went among them, masters an
slaves, and preached the gospel to all alike, who woul
u hear, and among the best as well as the earllest) con
n verts among them were sllyeholding Indians, as state
ments hereafter to be made would abunllntly verify
Both master and slave were received with equal wei
come, on giving evidence Of a change of heart, and
belief in Christ and his religion. This is so, also, i
= the mission churches among those tribes of othe Christ
ian denominations.
The committee, strongly as they reprobate slavery
did not believe that it involved such individual guilt, Il
= to preclude every stakeholder from Christian broth
3 erhood; and they quote Chalmers, who uttered th,
sentiment that there is a difference between the char
acter of the system, and those who, by circumstances
have been made one of that systems u~pholders; an,
$ that bad as slavery is, it does not follow that a slave
holder cannot be a Christian.
E The report recommended forbearance on this sub
ject, and prudence in treating it, upon the principles
recommended by the committee. The system had al
ready been much Moderated by the e~xertions of tn,
missionaries among the Indians, where exists, and WHERE
there were missionary stations, and that by the inculca
ton of Christian principles alike upon owner ant
slaves.
Among the Choctaws, there are laws restrainin.
these things, which the committee deeply regret. They
are not vigorously enforced, and for the existence o
them at all, the missionaries do not hold themselve
: responsible. They do not inlet Ike any political kind 0
, reform in this particular, but to strive to produce Il NOR
, al influence to TINT end, by furthoring the prevalence o
Christian influences; and the worst effects to the caus'
of missions, and to the chances of reforming of the yer,
system SO much deplored, could not but flow from an,
special action of the board on the subject.
The committee, all of whom signed this report, wer
the following;-Rev. DR.. Woods, Andoyer, Mass; Chan