The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-28
For THE CENTRAL PREsprrERlAs.
To the Ministers, Elders, Deacons and Mem.
bers of the Church.
MISSION Rooms, COLUMBIA, s. C. |
ALL Ia IOnn

MISSION Rooms, COLUMBIA, S. C..
April 1st, 1869.
Respected Christian Brethren - -
The time appointed by the General Assembly, as
you will remember, for taking up the general collec.
ton for Foreign Missions, is the first Sabbath in
May, or as soon after as may be found convenient
and practicable In view of this collection, it be,
comes necessary for me 10 lay before you brief
statement in relation to the present condition and
wants of this great cause.
Since the meeting of the Assembly in May last,
three Missionaries, Rev. Messrs. M. II. Houston,
Benjamin Helm, and ]. L. Stuart have sailed for
China, and are now actively engaged in their work
in that far off land, whilst two Others Rev. Messrs
q. Balentine and j. NJ. Perryman have been estab.
lished as missionaries in the Southwestern Indian
Territory Before these lines pass under the eyes Of
our readers, Rev. n. B. Pratt and family, will pro.
badly be on their way to New Granada, Rev. Messrs.
| G. Nash Morton and Edward Lane expect to sail
for Brazil in the month of May, whilst Mr.. and Mrs
Converse are hoping to sail by midsummer to rein
force the mission in China. When these last named
brethren shall have reached their respective stations
the whole missionary force under the direction Of
|
means of their support, will consist of seventeen
regularly ordained missionaries and ten assistant
missionaries, making twenty seven laborers in ALL
From this brief and simple statement, it will be seen
that very serious and weghty responsibility has
been assumed and it is earnestly hoped that the
Committee and Churches alike will meet that re-
sponsibility with all the energy which its great i'm
portance demands. et
In the report submitted to the General Assembly
last spring. it was distinctly stated that it would re-
quire at least $25,000 to meet the current expenses
of the work already undertaken, and to send out all
the missionaries then under appointment. The re-
ceipts for the eleven months ending the 1st April
1869, are something less than $4,000. If we add
to this the cost of outfit furnished to the missiona
ries by the ladies of Richmond, Petersburg, New
Orleans and other places, amounting in all to more
than $4,000, the aggregate receipts for the eleven
months will be at least $1,000. Should the receipts
for the month of April be equal to the average con.
tributions of the eleven previous months the aggre
gate receipts will still fall short by several thousands
of the estimate submitted to the General Assembly
last spring The Committee would have been very
seriously embarrassed in carrying out their contem
plated plans in full, if several of these missionary
brethren had not been providentally prevented from
sailing at the appointed time These brethren,
however, are now ready to SAIL and large means are
wanted to pay their passage and to furnish habita-
tons for them, as well as for those who sailed some
months ago. The wants of the coming year cannot
be less than $4,000, about fifty per cent. in ad.
vance of those for the year now drawing to close
Surely it is no great undertaking for beloved
Church to raise this amount 1t is less than an
average of fifty cents to every church member. II
all of our feeble churches would aim to raise this
average sum, whilst those that are in more favored
circumstances would contribute according as God
has prospered them, the full sum needed would be
realized In bonds of Christian affection,
j. LEIGHTON WILSON,
Secretary of Foreign Missions.