The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-16

sire to make grateful mention of the timely
and substantial aid rendered by the ladies
lust referred to, in furnishing our missiona-
nv brethren with the outfits necessary for
their voyage and settlement in the different
countries to which they have gone. The
children of the Sabbath Schools have also
rendered important service. The number
of schools that have contributed is one
hundred and fve,.. and the aggregate
amount contributed is S2,523 SO. Fproper
pains were taken to enlist our Sabbath
Schools generally in the work, the above
mentioned sum might very easily be trebled,
if not quadrupled. The whole number OF
churches that contributed last year was 59o
against 41S the preceding year-showing an
increase of $50 contributing churches
This is very encouraging state OF things,
but still we should not overlook the humi-
lating fact that only about one-half OF
the whole of our churches have contributed
anything at all to this precious cause during
the past year.
SAILING OF MISSIONARIES AND THE ENLARGE
MENT OF THE MISSIONARY WORK.
In the last Annual Report it was men
toned that eight young men had been de-
sgnated to the missionary work. and were
expecting to sail for their respective fields
of labor during the year. Soon after the
adjournment of the Assembly an additional
appointment was made. Quite recently a
missionary to the Choctaws has been ap-
pointed, making in all ten.
Rev. G.. Nash Morton, according to pre-
vious arrangement, sailed from New York
on board the steamer South America on the
oath of August, for the purpose of explor-
ing certain portions of Brazil with reference
to the establishment of permanent mission
in that part of the world He returned to
this country the latter part of November,
having touched at all the principal cities and
seaport towns along its eastern frontier, and
gone as far in the interior as Campinas, the
principal inland city in the province of Sac
Paulo. The results of his observations have
been published in the Missionary, and are
known, therefore, to the Church at large.
Mr.. Morton, and his associate, Rev. Edward
Lane, together with Mrs. Morton, will sail
from Baltimore, about the first of June, and
commence their permanent missionary labors
in the city of Campinas.
Rev. Messrs. NJ. III. Houston, Benjamin
Helm and J. L. Stuart, the first of the
Synod of Virginia, and the others of the
Synod of Kentucky, sailed from New York
in the steamer Alaska for China, on the 9th OF
September, and having touched successively
at Panama, San Francisco and Japan, they
reached Shanghai on the 7th of November,
having been something less than two months
on the voyage. They remained but few
days, and then proceeded to Hanchou, where
they have been engaged in studying the
language, and making other arrangements
for the prosecution of their missionary
work.
Rev. H. B. Pratt and family, sailed from
New York, on the 21st of April, on their
way to Baranquilla, their contemplated mis-
sionary station. Mr.. Pratt, as is well known,
labored as a missionary for a number OF
years previous to the war in Bogota, the
capital of New Grenada, and is well quail
fed by his knowledge Of the people and their
language, to be very useful and effective
! missionary in that part Of the world. Ba-
ranquilla is aNefp0IJ town Of 20, 600 inhabi-
tants, and is not only promising field of
missionary labor in itself, but will afford
great advantages for extending the blessings.
of the Gospel into the broad and mountainous
regions of New Grenada generally, as soon
as we shall have the missionary force to do
so.
Rev. Thomas E. Converse and his wife,
in order to avoid the sickly season on the
coast of China, will not leave this country
before the latter part of August, or the first
of September. Mr.. Converse has been
spending the winter and the spring in the
study of medicine and surgery, and will in
this way occupy a more enlarged sphere of
usefulness when he arrives in China. Mrs.
Converse is the daughter of Rev. George
W. Leyburn, formerly missionary in
Greece, and was herself born on mission
ground.
Rev. James M. Perryman, an educated
Greek Indian, commenced his labors last
summer at place called North Fork, in the
southern portion of the Creek territory.
Thus far he has been favored with good and
attentive audiences, and has the prospect of
great usefulness among his kindred accord
ing to the flesh.
Rev. Hamilton Balentine, whose name is
not unfamiliar to our people, and who has
spent almost the whole of his ministerial
life in labors among the Indian tribes, has
recently been reappointed to the work, and
has commenced his labors among the Chero-
KEGS, not far from Talequah, the capital of
the nation. In former years the Cherokees
were much cared for, and well supplied with
the preaching of the gospel by the Northern
| Church. But since the close of the war,
only one white Missionary, as it is under
stood, remains among them, so that their
claim upon the Southern Church becomes
very urgent.
Rev. Stephen Foreman, an educated
Cherokee, and Mr.. Ballentine, form the mis-
sion to that people, and for the present they
will labor at Talequah and the surrounding
country.
THE WHOLE MISSIONARY FORCE.
When the five Missionaries who are now
on their way, or soon to leave, together with
one Missionary brother, who will probably
90 to the Choctaws during the summer or
autumn, have all reached their respective
stations, the whole missionary force will con-
sist of sixteen regularly ordained Missiona-
ries, two licentates, four female assistant
missionaries, and eight native helpers-mak-
ing in all thirty missionary laborers. This
is large and weighty responsibility to be
assumed by a Church that is just emerging
from a condition of extraordinary prostra.
ton and impoverishment; but He who has
called her to this great honor, and laid upon