The New York herald., 1870-10-05
EyANCELIZgNG THE WORLD.

Meetins Of tho American Board sf Foreign
Missions-A Gratifying Exhibit Of Christian
Progress.
The American Board or Foreign Missions held its
first session yesterday afternoon Ia the Academy or
Music, Brooklyn. The attendance was unusually
large, and the reports OF the various committees
were listened TO with marked interest The plat
form was crowded with distinguished representa-
tives OF tho clerical profession, ano q plentiful
sprInktng OF missionaries leayened the secular
part OF the audience. The Rev. Or. Marx Hopkins
president OF the Board. In the chair. Hon. VII
liam E. Dodge. vice president, being IN attendance
After the opening prayer and singing q report or
the home department was read. In which t was re-
gretted that the department. nad not been able 10
send larger NUMBER OF young men into the fieid
Twelve missionaries had been returned and eighteen
sent out during the year the fields OF labor IN
cndIng East and West Turkey, Ceyon, China and
Japan. The two organizations the eastern and
western, for eieyatins .he condition or women had
been very successful.
Rev. Dr. Clark read very interesting report on
Missions, In which IL was stated that the most pow
erful results OF missionary labor not APPARENT
that great extent OF country was being leayened
by Protestant truth; that though the revolution was
silent Il WAS surely going on, ana Christianity was
acting rs solvent to tho ancient superstiions. No
figures could measure the facts. The work during
the past year had been largely one or PREPARATION
yet tAerc had been encouraging results in three trec
tions-the education Of native minister's the efforts
to reach women, ana The growth OF native churches
There are within the jurisdiction or the Board
1905 native missionaries, or which l1D are pastors
32I preachers and the remainder teachers They
hold the same relative position tnat the same class
OF people do ~ home. Some OF the graduates OF
the theological schools have high reputation, ana
there are many orators among them Of nigh merit.
Forty-ive young men completed their educational
course last year and the number now In schools OF
NainiDg Is nearly equal 10 the number ia seminaries
belonging 10 the constituency OF the Board A FEW
are taught English, but they are mainly trained
work In their native tongue. An educated natiye
agency IL the great reliance
t.ttn Tcv att
among women. The benent OF the example Oh
home a. illustrated In missionaries families. is
being appreciated by the Board, mbcfs OF
which have doubted. at times. the propriety OF
sending out married missionaries. one example of
the power OF Christianity TO elevate woman. seen
IN the missonary's WIFE Il worth thousand
mons.
Single women have been power In this neld.
iliustrous examples Of whom are Miss ogden, with
her forty years IN Hawaii. and Miss Forrar, who
spent thirty-nve years in Bombay. Within tho last
few years the way has been opened to direct work
among their own sex by the forty single women
now In the held, and tue Ave VINO are 10 60 tho
present month.
with constant advance In the direction OF selfsup-
port, the united contributions OF winch for year
are $4,000, one-sixth as much AZ the sum given by
the churches acting through the American Board.
The report OF missionary work among the North
American Indians was hopeful. The treasarer's re-
port showed moneys received, by donations and
otherwise, 10 the amount OF $46i 900, aud moneys
paid out TO the amount OF sl77,o00 The American
Board was Incorporated In 1872 and was com.
posed OF the Presbyterian, Congrcgaiionaist and
Dutch Reformed churches. In 1857 the Dutch
Reformed Church withdrew. At the time OF the
division o. the Presbyterian Cnurch the Old School
branch established foreign mission board OF its
own, and the New School acted with the American
Board. Alter this year the Board will be principally
congregational. The first year OF Its existence ts
receipts were $o99; its aggregate annual receipts
are now 8S25, 900.
The annual sermon was preached last evening
before the Board by the Rev. Mr. Alden, OF Boston
Ine DISCOURSE was eloquent and Impressive and was
listened to with deep interest by = large congre
gluop-