Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-10-20
ANNIVERSARY OF THE A b. c. F. M.

The semi-centennial jubilee of the American
board of mission was held in Boston last week,
and the exercises were throughout of the most
interesting character The number in atten-
dance from all parts of the country, chiefly
clergymen, was very large, and more than two
thousand were entertained at private houses.
Rev John Keep of Oberlin, Ohio, one of the
two surviving members of the General Associa-
ton of Massachusetts which inaugurated the
board in 1910, was present, but Rev. DIR. Smell
of North Brookfeld. the other survivor, was
kept at home by the infirmites of age. While
the regular meetings of the board were held at
fremont Temple, simultaneous meetings were
held each day in Park street church, to accom-
odate the crowds that could not gain admission
to the temple Rev. DIR. Hopkins of Williams
town, president OF the board. was in the chair
at the opening of the meetings on Tuesday
afternoon. The total receipts of the board for
the past year were $500, 100, of which S10,79S
was obtained specially to remove the debt. The
debt has been paid, and the balance in the
treasury at the opening of the year is SLIGO
The current expense Of the last year were
SiGl ,9jS. The reports from the different sta
tons show a reasonable degree of success, and
abundant openings for an extension of mission
AIRY work. A large portion of the annual re-
port is devoted to the reasons for closing the
mission to the Cherokee Indians. Any object
ion to the liberation of slavery by the Indians
for which the board has obtained so much cred
it among anti-slavery Christians, is expressly
disavowed, and the mission is closed because
the Cherokees are Christianized Indians. They
are well supplied with religious teachers Of
various sects, and because only about 30 OF a
population of ~ 900 attend the meetings held
by the three missionaries of the board. The
no, ha
a6ors of the board for the half century The
five laborers frs, sent out have been reinforced
by the addition of 40; there were now in its
employment 900 missionaries and near 400
teachers-makng together 1851. The number
of church members was about $4,000, and the
increase in the last ten years had been some
1900 annually. Considerable discussion took
place upon the question whether the board
should restrict its expenditures to its income, or
enlarge its operations and trust to the churches
to make up the deficiency The pay-as- you-go
policy was generally preferred, and will no
doubt be adhered to as nearly as circumstances
will allow. Ii the board should spend accord
ing to its opportunities, instead of its means, il
might easily run into debt ten times the amount
of its income. The discourses delivered by
Rev DR.. Hopkins and President Foster of Ham
ilton were of high ordcr and will be printed
by the board. The Jubilee closed on Thursday
afternoon with communion services in four OF
the Congregational churches.
The board fixed upon Cleveland, Ohio, as the
place for the next annual meeting, and chose
Rev. Richard S. Storrs of Brooklyn, n Y,
preacher of the sermon, and Rev Henry Smith
of Cincinnati, substitute. The officers of the
previous year We're reelected, and fourteen new
members were added to the board, among whom
are X. A. Chapman of Springfield, John A.
Davenport and DR.. l.. L. Cleveland of New
Haven, Ct, Lucius Barker Of Hartford, Ct,
and William Pennington of New Jersey. There
was an attempt near the close Of the meeting to
introduce 1.-THE irrepressible conflict" but it was
uncerimoniousy driven out. Rev Henry 4.
Cheever made two unsuccessful efforts to intro
duce resolutions as to the slave trade, but was
ruled out of order. There was also some anti
slavery talk while the Gaboon mission in Africa
was under consideration. The board voted that
they should require $4,000 for the current
year, and the audience present voted that they
ought to have 100000.