The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-04
THE ANNIVERSARIES.

- FOREIGN MISSIONS.
lhe twenty-frst anniversary of the Foreign Mis-
slonary Society of the PRESBYTERIAN Church of the
Cnlted States was celebrated last evening at the
ocotcn en- Presbyterian Church in Fourteenth street,
% near 9lN1h avenue, by appropriate exercises. The
attendance upon the occasion was very numerous.
After the usual devotional exercises the Rev
Dr. W llson, the Corresponding Secretary of the
Board, read the following brief abstract Of the an
nual report:
The receipts from all sources (includinc special
contribution of SlS ll257 to repair losses in Indal
| have been S223,977.79.
The expenditure has been S2O7 ,O5l.5l (tbe sum
specially donated for India SIS, S,1l257 being re-
served leaving balance against the Board of
| 81 1S6.29
Thirty missionary laborers have been sent ont
| during the year, twelve of whom were returned
missionaries and ten others are waiting opportuni-
ties to embark for the fields to which they have re-
! spectively been designated.
| Under the direction of the Board there are nine
missions among the Indians; one to the Jews and
one to the Chinese in California, within the bounda
ries OF the United States two in South America;
two in Western Africa in Siam; three in Chi
ma; two IN India, embracing fifteen stations, and
tending a region of country of more than Il
thousand miles in length; beside which, pecunarv
aid has been extended to the Evangelical Societies
of Belgium, Paris, Geneva, and to the Wadensian
Synod.
Connected with these various missions. there are
l10 missionary aborers from this country, 54 native
helpers 80 principal stations and out-stations, %
organized churches and nearly 5000 native youths
under Christian training in the schools connected
with these missions.
A general survey of the missionary work. during
the past year. brings to view facts and events both
OF painful and cheering nature; the former calling
lor sorrow and humiliation, and the latter for praise
and thanksgiving.
Under the former head stands out painfully CON
spicuous the sad disaster at Futtehgurh, in which
the lives of eight beloved and valued missionary la
borers and two children were sacrificed to Sepov
violence; the removal by death, in other parts Of
the field, of five other valued missionary Iaborers-
the destruction of large amount of mission prop
erty IN India; the partial interruption of the work
at one of the principal stations in China; and the
withdrawal of considerable number of laborers
from the field, either temporarily permanently
on account of the failure of health These
currences that call for deep humiliation, and they
ought to awaken the heart-searching inquiry why
these reverses have been permitted to befall this
great work.
On the other hand, there are facts of an encourag
ing nature, that are equally deserving of the
grateful consideration of Gods people. Among
these may be mentioned the merciful preservation
of the health and lives of the great body of our
missionary brethren and their families in India
during all the trials and dangers to which they have
been exposed; the noble testimony which the mar
tyred brethren were enabled to bear to the truth,
IN the immediate prospect of a cruel and violent
death, and the heroic fOrtitude with which their
Christian converts endured persecution, and in
cases met death, forming together a lesson that
will be rehearsed from generation to generation in
India, and will long be cherished by the Church of
early prospective settlement of disturbances both
in India and China a basis more favorable to the
spread of Christianity; the quiet and effective
ner in which the missionary work has been prose-
cuted in most of the fields occupied by the Board
in connection with which a large number of
immortal souls have been gathered into the fold
of Christ; the opening of new fields for missionary
enterprise in portions of the earth heretofore
inaccessible, and the enlargement Of the area
of labor in those that have been partially occu-
pied; the present great outpOuring of Gods Spirit
upon the churches in this and other Christian
lands, furnishing and sanctifying the means and
agents. it is hoped, for great extension of the
missionary work; the increased contributions of
Gods people to the support of this great cause
notwithstanding the existing financial pressure
and the growing disposition manifested, not
only by the students of our Theological Semi
naries but to some extent by settled ministers and
laymen of the church, to devote themselves per
sonay to the promotion of this work; all of which,
If the indications of Divine Providence are rightly
| interpreted, betoken purpose the part of the
great Head OF the Church to bring about grander
results IN connection with the enlargement OF his
spiritual kingdom among men than have been
witnessed before and a willingness his part to
employ the church the honored agency for the
accomplishment of this great end. How shall the
church respond to this solemn call? How shall she
act in view of this momentOus emergency?
The discourse was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Dab
ney, from the text, John iv. 35 ''Behold | say
unto you, lift up your eyes, look into the fields for
they white for the harvest" The burden of the
discourse was, that the harvest referred to in the
text was the uncOnverted of the world.